Herbert LeRoy Vardaman

Lee Vardaman, 78, died Saturday, August 12, 2006 at a local hospital. A graveside service, with military honors, will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday in Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. A visitation will be from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. Monday at the Funeral Home. Lee was born February 17, 1928 in Lynn, Indiana to Lester Walter and Onita Good Vardaman. He completed school in Indiana and served in the U.S. Navy from 1945 until 1947. In 1950, he joined the U.S. Air Force and remained active until his retirement at Dyess in 1969. During his active service, in which he earned the Bronze Star, Lee served in three wars: World War II, Korea and Viet Nam. While stationed at Dyess, he met and then married Jo Beth Floyd on June 7, 1957. After his military career, Lee worked for the City of Abilene at Abilene Regional Airport where he was an operation supervisor. He retired from the City after 20 years of service. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Herbert LeRoy Vardaman, Jr., in 2005, and a brother, Francis "Bud" Vardaman. Survivors include: his wife Jo Beth Vardaman of Abilene; two daughters, Christy Beth (Chris) Parks of Abilene and Lea Ann Vardaman of Benbrook, Texas; a sister, Mavis Limburg of Richmond, Indiana; five grandchildren, Harley, Kevin Lee, Michael, Stephanie, and Rebecca; and one great grandchild, Gavin.