Farewell, Lee S. Gliddon Jr., you will be missed!

With a heavy heart, I am sharing that my father, Lee S. Gliddon, Jr. passed away yesterday of natural causes in his Florida home.  He enjoyed sharing news, his opinions, and his love of the United State of America through this blog.

Our family is celebrating the life of Lee S. Gliddon, Jr. “Buddy”.  Lee leaves his love, Carol Van Coney after 37 years where they were together from California to Nevada to Florida.  He passed on March 8, 2023 in Ocala, Florida.  Lee was born in Mobile, Alabama on July 20, 1940 during the WWII as his father, Lee S. Gliddon, Sr. served in the Merchant Marines on Liberty Ships in the Atlantic.  His mother Myrtice Gliddon was one of the few women working with the U.S. Air Force until her retirement.  He is survived by three sisters, Patricia, Evelyn, Helen and joins his brother Robert in Heaven.  He is survived by his three children, Athena, Diana, and Lee, as well as three grandchildren Rachel, Thomas, and Jake.

When 17, Lee joined the U.S. Navy and left Mobile, Alabama to serve in the Pacific Ocean.

Lee was extremely active throughout his life in Football, where he played through high school up to the semi-pro level with the Orange County Rhinos.  He later became the Defensive Coordinator for the Rhinos and then Owner and Head Coach of the California Generals.  In-between his playing and coaching, he raced Formula F and Can Am for 18 years.  During that time he was also Crew Chief for his best friend Gordon Strom in Formula 1, until Gordon passed away from a tragic crash at Sears Point in Sonoma County, California.   

While Football and Racing were his passions, he owned and managed businesses in the automotive, legal, financial, and medical industries.  He retired as head of Tenant Health Care’s Third Party Liability division in the 1990’s.  He then embraced our Lord Jesus Christ and became a Christian Pastor and remained a practicing and devout Christian until ascended to join Jesus in Heaven.  He has written hundreds of sermons over the years and shared them each Sunday with countless fellow Christians.

His family and friends will greatly miss Lee and the love, strength, and conviction he shared throughout his life.  He will be cremated and his ashes delivered to the oceans of the world.