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Aaron Jacob Lee

August 10, 1990 - March 14, 2016
Grand Rapids, MI

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Visitation

Thursday, March 17, 2016
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EDT
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions

Visitation

Thursday, March 17, 2016
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions

Visitation

Friday, March 18, 2016
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM EDT
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions

Service

Friday, March 18, 2016
11:00 AM EDT
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Wounded Warrior Project
4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Please Give to the Wounded Warrior Project

Life Story / Obituary


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Aaron Jacob Lee was an outgoing person and a free spirit. Hard working and determined, he set goals for himself and accomplished them. Adventurous and strong, he tried just about anything and mastered nearly everything. His personality and good humor made him many friends, and his love and liveliness was deeply felt by his family.

Aaron Jacob was born August 10, 1990 in Grand Rapids, Michigan during the presidency of George H.W. Bush. U.S. troops were being prepared for combat, joining efforts with coalition forces in the Persian Gulf. Children nationwide were flocking to buy the new Sega Game Gear, and millions of television viewers were being entertained by The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and The Simpsons.

Aaron’s proud parents, Marci Lyn (Hansen) and Roosevelt Lee, Jr., supported him through Roosevelt’s work at Gerber Products and Marci’s job in human resources at Mercy Health Hospital. Aaron was 4 years old when tragedy struck the family with the death of his father in an automobile accident. His mother later married William Goodson and joyfully welcomed baby Carmen into their lives on October 18, 1999.

Young Aaron was active in sports of all kinds. At Mulick Park Elementary School, he played baseball, basketball and football and was on the football team at Kenowa Hills High School. During the summer, the family camped at Brower Park or at Aunt Kwyn and Uncle Jason VanDyke’s cottage in Gowen, Michigan, and Aaron couldn’t get enough of swimming, skiing, knee boarding and jet skiing. He often went fishing and hunting with his uncle and his friend Ken Metz. Aaron was as skilled with a bow as with a rifle, and every year he managed to bag a trophy deer. He knew how to butcher his own animal—cutting, packing and canning the meat—and could cook venison roasts, chops and steaks. In many ways, Aaron was primed for the training that followed his high school graduation in 2008.

Aaron joined the United States Marine Corp and went through boot camp at Camp Pendleton, San Diego, California and later through Special Sniper Training in Missouri. In his four years of military duty, Aaron served both in the war in Iraq and in Afghanistan as a mechanic and a sharp-shooter.

When he returned to the States, Aaron took a job with Grand River Construction, working with concrete forms and foundations for commercial construction. Being home meant he could savor his favorite foods again, like Mom’s cheesy potatoes, mozzarella sticks and anything with ranch dressing. Not one to sit around, he filled his time tinkering outside, playing with his pet Pomeranian Coco Puff or hanging out with his many friends. Aaron wasn’t much for watching TV, but he did enjoy country music. He liked listening to many of the current-day singers, but he was mostly a fan of Johnny Cash.

Aaron’s great love was cars and motorcycles, and he had several to prove it. He owned so many, in fact, that the Secretary of State told him if he bought any more he would have to get a dealer’s license. He could fix anything on his cars or bikes and, if necessary, he bartered work for bike parts to get a job done. In addition, Aaron was handy with a hammer and nail and could build and repair everything else. He was an amazing young man with a vigor for life that was inspirational.

Aaron died very unexpectedly Monday evening as the result of a motorcycle accident on March 14, 2016. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew and loved him.

Aaron Jacob Lee, aged 25 of Grand Rapids, Michigan was preceded in death by his father Roosevelt Lee Jr. He is survived by his mother, Marci (William) Goodson; his sister, Carmen Goodson; his grandparents, Roosevelt Lee (Rosetta) Sr., Cora Lee, David Hansen and Shirley Kruis; many aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. A service to celebrate Aaron's life will be held on Friday, March 18 at 11:00 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Friends and relatives may visit his family at the funeral home on Thursday from 2:00 – 4:00 and 6:00 – 8:00 PM, and on Friday from 10:00 AM until the service starts at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, please honor Aaron's memory by making a contribution to the Wounded Warrior Project. To read more about Aaron’s life, to leave your own memory of him and to sign his guest book, visit his web page at www.lifestorynet.com

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