2. Clifton Harold LEE [scrapbook] was born 1 on 24 Mar 1925 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Cnty., NY. He died 2 on 16 Mar 1985 in Queens Village, NY and was buried in Gate of Heaven Cemtry, Valhalla, NY. Clifton married Living. [Parents]
From Penny Brown -Daniel W. Lee's memories of his father.
"Harold Lee and Agnes Miler met at a party in upstate NY. Agnes' parents objected to the relationship because it was a known fact that Harold intensely dislikde Christians, and Agnes was a Roman Catholic.
Agnes and Harold ran off and were married by a Justice of the Peace, and ultimately Harold landed a job as an architect in Virginia. They moved to Va., and were in the process of buying land when Harold's stepfather passed away in Poughkeepsie.
Harold's mother requested that Harold move back and help her run the carriage house, also in Poughkeepsie. Harold and Agnes proceeded to move back to the area and move in with Harold's mother. Clifton Harold Lee was born to them on 03/24/1925 in Poughkeepsie, and we are not sure if it was before or after the move to VA.Apparently, Agnes and her mother-in-law did not get along, and ultimately Agnes left with Clifton (we think he was approx. 2 yrs. Old). They lived on their own, and Agnes did some bookkeeping for a gas station and cleaned houses to support them. Clifton often went to bed hungry, and Agnes was too proud to move back in with her family on their farm, or even to go over for a meal.
Harold would come on the weekends and visit Clifton and take him out. Within several years Agnes met Walter Ehlbeck (from Germany) and they moved to Brooklyn, leaving no forwarding address. Walter was a hard worker and a wonderful provider. After moving to Brooklyn, Clifton never again saw his father. It seems that Agnes was very fearful that Clifton would be taken away from her by Harold, and was very secretive whenever she returned to the Poughkeepsie area, telling young Clifton to lay on the floor of the car so that he wouldn't be seen.
Agnes and Harold were never officially divorced to our knowledge, and Agnes married Walter in a civil ceremony many years later when Clifton was an adult."