Charles "Sonny" Tilton

Lee, Sr.

Charles Tilton Lee, Sr., a true Virginia gentleman, was born on April 15, 1937, in Ronceverte, West Virginia, near the beautiful Greenbrier River, to Virginia Goodman Lee. He grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia, and carried with him throughout his life the values, manners, and quiet confidence of the Virginia gentleman he was.

In 1956, he joined the United States Navy, serving until 1959 aboard the USS William R. Rush (DDR-714), including service in the Mediterranean. Following his military service, he returned home and began building a family of his own. He became the proud father of Virginia Dandridge Lee and Charles Tilton Lee Jr.

In 1976, he married Susan Harrison Zix in Petersburg, Virginia. Together, they welcomed two children, Christopher Harrison Lee and Catharine Lee Stover, born in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1979 and 1981, respectively. Susan would be his devoted partner for nearly 50 years, sharing with him a lifetime of adventures, accomplishments, and memories.

In 1982, Charles founded Charles Lee & Associates in Richmond, Virginia. Having recognized what he believed to be one of the great opportunities in American business - that selling to the government was a way for ordinary people to build extraordinary success - he set out to prove it. He did just that. What began as an entrepreneurial venture grew into a highly successful office systems sales company that employed many people over the years who not only worked for him but genuinely loved him. His influence extended well beyond his profession, earning him the respect, admiration, and friendship of countless people along the way.

In 1987, he moved his family to Oakton, Virginia, just in time for one of his most memorable football moments. On the day the family moved into their new home, the power company neglected to turn on the electricity. So, Charles and his family listened to their beloved Washington Redskins win the Super Bowl on the radio in the dark. It was perhaps not the ideal way to enjoy a championship, but it was certainly a story that would be remembered.

After a successful career, Charles retired in 1997. In 2000, he and Susan moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, a place they had both fallen in love with when they first visited and where they would spend their later years together.

Charles enjoyed many things in life, including keeping up with Fox News, following his beloved Redskins, and reminding his children on a regular basis just how much he loved them. He was a private man, but those who knew him understood the depth of his affection. He had a wonderful appreciation for a joke, even if he wasn’t always willing to admit it. His smile, however, usually gave him away.

He loved his grandchildren every bit as much as he loved his own children, although he generally preferred that their collective enthusiasm be expressed in small, contained, and, whenever possible, quiet voices! He was a man who took great pride in his family, even if he occasionally needed a little peace and quiet to enjoy them.

Charles is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 50 years, Susan; his children, Virginia Dandridge Lee, Charles Tilton Lee Jr., Christopher Harrison Lee, and Catharine Lee Stover; his sister Kathryn Lee Morton, his brother and sister in law Irvin “Tommy” and Carol Zix, and his cherished grandchildren: Charles Tilton Lee III (Trey) and Tyler Christopher Lee, children of Charles Jr.; Crawford Hayes Stover and Samuel Jefferson Stover, children of Catharine (Katie) and Jeff; and Sophia Louise Lee, Susan Piper Lee, and Helen Harper Lee, children of Christopher and Erin. He is also survived by his great-granddaughter, Parker Elaina Lee, daughter of Trey and Bailey.

To know Charles was to love him. He was a gentleman, a businessman, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a great-grandfather who lived life on his own terms and left his mark on those around him.

He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and never forgotten.

And whatever you do, don’t touch the remote control!

Arrangements are by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel. A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.