David C. Lee M.D.'s Obituary
David C. Lee, M.D., F.A.C.S., beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and physician, entered the kingdom of heaven on Saturday, August 12, 2023 in Columbus, OH at Mount Carmel East Hospital surrounded by his loving family. He was 78 years old. Born on November 11, 1944, and raised in Hsing-Ying, Tainan City, Taiwan, David was the eldest of six children of the late Lai-Chang and Tsai-Yun Shen Lee. David met and became engaged to his beautiful bride, Nancy, in Taiwan, and they were married on July 29, 1972 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Columbus, OH. The land of the buckeye is where they established new roots, became U.S. Citizens, and where they raised their family in Upper Arlington. Together, they selflessly sowed the seeds for many of their siblings and their children to join them in America.
A 1970 graduate of China Medical College in Taichung City, Taiwan, he served in the Taiwan Air Force as a medical doctor the year following graduation, with subsequent service to the general society as a civilian in the second year. In 1972, he came to Columbus, OH to begin his residency in General Surgery at Mount Carmel Medical Center. Upon completion of his residency in 1977, he stayed on as active staff at Mount Carmel Health and at St. Ann’s. He was a wonderful, caring, and dedicated physician who established and built his private practice, serving his community for 36 years. He was a great colleague at Mount Carmel Health where he was an active member of the teaching staff and served two, four-year terms as chairman of the Department of Surgery, and later as Clinical Department Council Member-At-Large. Upon his resignation in 2013, he was elected to become Honorary Staff.
David was an incredibly intelligent, resilient, strong, amazing, and generous man. He was a tennis enthusiast, enjoyed music, loved the outdoors, and tending to his many flower and vegetable gardens, especially to his gorgeous, pink peony beds. He also loved traveling, and visiting Hawaii, especially Maui where he returned to celebrate his 70th birthday, including doing the downhill sunrise bicycle tour from Haleakala.
David leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife of 51 years, Nancy, his daughters Carol Gillis of Cincinnati, OH, and Dr. Joanne Lee of Orlando, FL, son Daniel Lee of Breckenridge, CO, and five grandchildren: Andrew and Matthew Gillis, Kempton and Mira Lee, and Asher Kitch. He is also survived by his sisters Mei-Ling Lee, Marilyn Chi, Anna Lee, and Ivy Wu, and numerous nieces and nephews. David was preceded in death by his father Lai-Chang Lee (2003), his mother Tsai-Yun Shen Lee (2013), and his brother Richard Lee (2021). David will also be missed by many other relatives, colleagues, and friends.
A scattering ceremony at sea will be held in Maui, on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. The remainder of David’s ashes have been inurned at Union Cemetery in Columbus, OH.
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