Leedris Lee Elwin Sykes

SOUTH PORTLAND - Leedris "Lee" Elwin Sykes, 82, of South Portland, died peacefully on March 14, 2014 at Maine Medical Center. He was born April 19, 1931 in Bristol, Maine, the son of Elwin A. and Marjory H. Wallace Sykes. He was educated locally and was a 1948 graduate of Bristol High School. He attended SMVTI and was a 1957 graduate in Building Construction. As a young man, he was a fisherman in Bristol carrying on the family tradition of fishing. Lee served in the US Navy while stationed in Newfoundland during the Korean Conflict. He married Beverly M. Durdan on June 26, 1976 in South Portland. He worked briefly with Clint MacLeod and began building houses in Country Gardens. He established his own company and became a highly respected builder who built over 250 houses in the Greater Portland area. In later years he accepted the position of Superintendent of buildings, grounds and transportation for the South Portland School Department retiring in 1995. Lee was a 32 Mason with Hiram Lodge #180 AF AM; member of the Scottish Rite; member of the Waterville American Legion Post 178. He enjoyed hunting fishing, outdoors, and time spent at the camp he built in Magalloway Plantation. Lee was a member of the Coast Guard Power Squadron and Center Board Yacht Club and loved spending time boating with family and friends on Casco Bay. He was extremely proud of rebuilding the family homestead in Bristol. "Lee was an honest and humble man who will be greatly missed by his family and friends." Surviving are: his wife Beverly of South Portland; two daughters, Dawn Ellen Buxbaum and her husband Carl of Marblehead, MA, Debra Alice Sykes of Buxton; a son, Leedris "Lee" Sykes, Jr. and his wife Candice of Mt. Vernon; a step-daughter, Pamela Jean Henderson and her husband Richard A. of Buxton; three sisters, June Bishop of Bristol, Dorothy Ferguson of Lakeland, FL, Joyce Munroe of Salisbury, MA; three grandchildren, Isaac, Allison and Maia Buxbaum. Visiting hours will be held from 4-7 p.m., on Monday, March 17th at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. A 10:00 a.m. funeral service will be held on Tuesday at the South Portland Chapel. Interment will be at a later date. Donations in Lee's memory made be made to: Lewy Body Dementia, Inc. LBDA 912 Killian Hill Road, S.W. Lilburn, GA 30047.Online condolences may be expressed below.