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Lincoln Lee: 7 January 1922 - 1 May 2006
It is with great sadness that I have to report the death of our Vice President, Lincoln Lee.
Lincoln served as a bomber pilot in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia and then moved on through Italy. On his return to the UK, while based in Bristol, he met his future wife, Helen, who was nursing with the QARNC. He knew instantly that she was the girl he was going to marry. As he sometimes remarked, he was unusual in aviation - "married for 60 years AND to the same woman!" He was demobbed in 1946. During the next few years he flew Yorks (adapted Lancasters) for British South American Airways. In 1949 the airline was taken over by BOAC and he continued flying Argonauts. He then made the conversion to Britannias, taking part in their proving flights in Africa, and assisted in the aircraft's first transatlantic crossing. He subsequently flew Comets and eventually Boeing 707s.
He and Helen bought Lower Lodge, at the foot of Berry Hill, in 1947. Their first son, Neil, was born in 1948 and Nick two years later. In 1951, the family moved to Maidenhead where they had bought The Croft, a large Victorian house on Ray Park Road, where they lived for thirteen years. Dougal was born in 1959.
In the preceding years, Lincoln had written articles on aviation for numerous publications. In 1962, his successful first book, Three Dimensioned Darkness, was published. Other books followed. In 1964, the family moved to Berinus, which they built in an old walled garden in Taplow.
In 1965, Lincoln gave up flying because of eyesight problems but the loss of his flying licence meant the beginning of a new career. In May of that year, he started working for the technical directorate of IATA carrying responsibility for North America and the North Atlantic.
He and Helen involved themselves deeply in life in Taplow village. He was a school governor, and after years of active involvement, became President of the Preservation Society. During this time, he regularly wrote informative amusing articles for his own column in the newsletter, known as "Lincoln’s Corner".
Lincoln was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and neighbour, and a friend to many. He was wise, considerate, thoughtful, erudite and witty. We all feel very privileged to have known him. He will be greatly missed.
Eva Lipman