Vernon Lee Milam

Vernon Lee Milam died Friday, November 19th, 2021 at the age of 90 at his home in Charleston, Tennessee.  Lee was born in Welch, West Virginia to Henry Lee and Lena Causby Brewster on October 8, 1931.  He was the youngest son of 16 children and after his mother died in 1941 he moved in with his older sister Dorothy who raised him.  At the age of 17 he received special permission from a judge to enter the service in 1948 at the age of 17.  While in the Air Force, he served as a radar operator in Alaska.  He remained especially close to Dorothy, who also lived in Charleston, TN until her death in 2006.  He came to know and accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior in his mid 40’s while attending Center Point Baptist Church. He loved the Lord and the fellowship with his closest friends there every week.

On July 24, 1954 he married Wanda Lee Skaggs and together they raised 4 children:  Vernon Allen, Terry Lee, Lena Rebekah and Joshua Lee.  He worked for the IBEW local 728 for over 40 years as a linesmen and during this time it brought him to many states including Ohio, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee and even Alaska to service pipelines at power substations.  After the children were born, they raised the family in Florida before settling in his forever home on a hill in Charleston, Tennessee.

In his retirement years he found comfort and solitude up on his Hill.  On any given day in the spring and summer you would find him raking the moss from between the rocks in preparation for new grass seed.  Wanda would often comment, “He’s watering the rocks again” in an attempt to get his seed to germinate and grow.  In the fall there was the never-ending job of raking, blowing and burning leaves.  Day in and day out you would find him sitting in his light-weight plastic chair watching his embers burn, finding satisfaction in looking back at the lawn clear of leaves, until the wind blew and started his job all over again.

His grandchildren and great grandchildren will remember his humor and never ending list of “no’s” he’d come up with in an attempt to aggravate them:  no singing on the Hill, no laughing on the Hill, no playing on the Hill.  He was the guarder of hallway in his oversized sitting chair and getting past him was always a challenge because he was strong and fast right up until the end.  He was an energy conservationist before it was trendy.  As a persistent “light switch turner-offer,” he was even known to turn off the light in a room you were in if he didn’t think you needed it.

Lee was preceded in death by his wife, of 67 years, Wanda Lee, who passed on Monday November 8th, 2021 just 11 days before Lee, and was his whole world;  his son Vernon Allen; Grandson Matthew Austin “Tex”; his mother Lena Causby Brewster and father Henry Lee Milam; siblings Gertrude, Jack, Dorothy, Lawrence “Buster”, Garnett, Nellie, Russell, Louise, Beatrice, Curtis, Charlie, Bob and Frances

Lee is survived by his children Terry Lee (Lisa),  Lena Rebekah and Joshua Lee (Rebekah); grandchildren: Jason Allen, Beth Marie (Matthew), Daniel Allen, Cristina Lee (David), Kennedy Nicole, Aleeseia Danette; great grandchildren: Ainsley Marie, John Joseph, Sawyer Riley, Danzlee “Dandelion” Brooke, Lucas “Cool Hand” Parker, Logan Alexander, Greyson Allen and Daniel Allen Jr. Siblings: Phylis Sue and Rosina.

Family and friends are invited to a visitation held on Friday, November 26th from 12-2pm with a short service at 2pm at Ralph Buckner Funeral home.  Graveside service immediately following at Center Point Baptist Church,1205 Lower River Rd NW Charleston.  We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Milam family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.