Alfred 'Lee' Carder

ALFRED "LEE" CARDER

Des Moines

Alfred Lee Carder ("Lee"), 90, died early Sunday morning, Nov. 3, 2019, in Des Moines from complications related to Alzheimer's disease. He died peacefully in his sleep in the presence of family.

He leaves his beloved wife, Jo Ellen Carder; daughters, Kaye Brom (Steve) and Cindy Winchester; son, Robert Carder; grandchildren, Jennifer Denham, Jessica Beaulieu (KC), Matthew Brom and Erika Burrows (Eric); and 10 great-grandchildren, all of whom he shamelessly bribed with dollar bills.

Lee was born in North English, Iowa, on March 27, 1929, the son of Alfred and Lauretta (Ginther) Carder. Lee proudly enlisted at a young age in the U.S. Marine Corps and traveled the world, ultimately serving in the Korean War, where he earned a Purple Heart. This experience proved to be the driving factor in defining Lee's life as an unshakable patriot.

The dashing young Marine returned to his beautiful bride, Jo Ellen and newborn child, Kaye. Before long he was the proud father of Cindy and then Robert. Ultimately settling in Charles City, he had a successful life of hard work in the Iowa grain industry and in real estate.

He made many friends and found time for a variety of hobbies, including fishing, camping, motorcycling and gardening, all of which he happily shared with his brothers Keith and Timmy and with other family and friends. He inspired a lifelong love of fishing in his eldest granddaughter, Jennifer, when he took her on her first outing, where she promptly bettered him by catching a large albino catfish. And he teased his son Bob mercilessly by threatening to turn him in to the game warden if he persisted in catching more fish than his father. (It is rumored that Lee bought a booth in his favorite hangout, the Charles City Comet Bowl, but that is another story for another day.)

Upon retirement, Lee and Jo moved to the McAllen, Texas, area where they spent more than 20 happy years enjoying all that retirement offers. They returned to Iowa in 2014.

Long known for his generosity, integrity, honesty, loyalty, lead foot and wicked sense of humor, he will be lovingly missed.

Preceding Lee in death were his parents; his stepmother, Mildred Dietrich; and brothers, Gordon "Timmy" and Keith.

A Celebration of Life will be held at noon Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, at Merle Hay Funeral Home, 4400 Merle Hay Rd., Des Moines, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Lee's name.

Special thanks to the staff at the Carlisle Care Center for their attentive kindness.

Semper Fi