William Marshall Lee

Wm. Marshall Lee (Bill), age 102, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, January 6, 2025, with his loving family by his side.

Bill was born in Brooklyn, NY on February 23, 1922. He attended Gale Elementary School in Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, and Evanston Township High School in Evanston, IL. He graduated from Evanston Township High School in 1939. He entered University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the fall of 1939 as a mechanical engineering student. In 1940 he transferred to Aeronautical University of Chicago. He graduated from A.U. in 1942, first in his class, with a degree in aeronautical engineering.

He married Lois Kathryn Plain of Rogers Park, IL, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL on Oct. 10, 1942.

He was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in October of 1942. After a year of training, he was deployed to the South Pacific in Oct of 1943. He spent 2 years in the South Pacific war zone as an aircraft technician until the war ended in 1945. 

After the war, he spent a fruitful career as an intellectual property attorney (patents, trademarks and copyrights). He handled primarily litigation matters. He started in the early 1950’s with a Chicago firm, but decided to venture on his own in 1973, eventually partnering with others to form a firm that mirrored his specialties. Even after retiring, he worked into his 70’s as an expert in intellectual property litigation.

Bill is survived by his loving children, Marsha (Steve) Derynck of Pittsboro, NC, William (Barbara) Lee of Golden, CO, and Victoria Lee Nelson of Bloomington, IN; his four grandchildren, Bradley (Audrey) Johnson, Carolyn (Jim) Smith, Marshall (Allyson) Lee, and Cassandra (Kyle) Craig; seven great grandchildren, and one great, great granddaughter.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 75 years, Lois Kathryn Plain Lee and a granddaughter, Jennifer (Johnson) Hoffmann. 

A memorial service for Bill will be held at 11am on Monday, January 13, 2025, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 337 Ridge Rd., Barrington Hills, IL 60010. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name may be made to JourneyCare Hospice in Barrington, or a charity of your choice.