Ronald Lee

1942 - 2019

Ronald Eugene Lee, 76, embarked on his eternal journey on Jan. 19, 2019, due to complications from a stroke.

He was the second youngest of five children born to Bud and Juanita Lee on Aug. 18, 1942, in Klamath Falls, Ore. He was raised on a dairy farm in Langell Valley outside of Bonanza Ore., and it was this lifestyle that instilled in him an incredible work ethic. He graduated in 1960 from Bonanza High School, where he excelled in football.

In 1975, he left his job at Weyerhaeuser and sold his roofing business, moving his family to Junction City, Ore., where he joined his brother in business at Country Camper. The story goes that this decision was based on a coin flip while elk hunting, and the rest is history. His eclectic style, passion to build the best, and forward-thinking vision were instrumental in growing the fledgling Country Camper into Country Coach Inc., one of the top four luxury motor coach manufacturers in the country employing over 1,500 Lane County residents. Country Coach became one of the top 100 privately owned Oregon businesses and winner of the United States Productivity Award during his tenure as vice president/production manager.

Ron loved the outdoors. His children remember camping, skiing, riding horses, motorcycles, driving (and wrecking) his snowmobiles and being towed behind trucks and boats. His taste was for the fastest and the finest quality and he was a collector of cars, motorcycles, boats, etc. He enjoyed life to the fullest. A world traveler, he toured Europe, rode motorcycles across South America, fished (and accidentally swam) in the Amazon, flew his own plane (taking off better than landing) and hunted big game in Africa, where his rifle jammed during an encounter with a lion.

After his stroke, he started that was two of his nine lives, the first being his open-heart surgery only five months prior. Given his love for adventure and speed, we feel that he was actually blessed with more than nine. He made sure that Santa Claus was alive and well long after they should have known better and he loved to cook Thanksgiving dinners and bring family together. He was intelligent, inquisitive, generous, opinionated and passionate; gifted with a huge heart, forgiving spirit and easy laugh, taking great pleasure in spoiling and sharing experiences with his friends and family.

In 2010, he came out of retirement and bought the intellectual property of Country Coach after the buyers bankrupted it. He then made a deal with Winnebago, which plan to continue manufacturing Country Coaches and employing the staff that he brought back. He cared about the people. The legacy. What he loved. What he worked so hard for. Always a country boy at heart, he never forgot where he came from. He will be dearly missed by those who truly knew and loved him.

He is survived by his loving wife, best friend, personal Angel and partner in crime Vivian (Cookie) Lee, who he married in 1974, his beloved fur baby Diamond daughter Rene (and Tim) Randall, son Ronald (and Marin) Lee, daughter Tamra (and Bernie) Howard, sons Brian Lee and John Worley, grandchildren Naquoa, Robert, Derrick, Damon, Tyra, Chris, Tyler, Tanner, Jolyn and Tanya along with sisters, nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren.

"He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing. He does not shy away from the sword. He cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds."

A graveside service will be held in Bonanza on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, at 1 p.m. with a celebration of life in Junction City to be announced. Arrangements entrusted to Murphy-Musgrove Funeral Home. Please access the obituary and you are invited to sign the guestbook at musgroves.com