LEE IRVING was nominated by his classmate James Cochran. Lee is being inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame for his leadership and scholastic achievements in high school and his continued success in the business world, as well as for his leadership in his church and community activities.
Lee is an alumnus of the Class of 1966. While in high school, he excelled in both athletics and academics. He was also popular and well liked, becoming president of the class in his senior year. He belonged to Varsity Club, Beta Phi Chi fraternity, and was Key Club president. Additionally, he was in Student Council and belonged to National Honor Society for three years. He received the DAR Good Citizen Award, Latin Award, the Prize for General Excellence in Citizenship Education, the Prize for Proficiency in Physics and was Salutatorian of his class. Lee received his higher education at SUNY Binghamton and the University of Wisconsin - Madison with degrees in banking, finance and accounting. Lee made his long career mostly within Key Corp, retiring in 2006 as their chief accounting officer. While still living locally, Lee shared his talents with his church, The Greenbush Reformed Church participating in many activities including serving on its local governing board. His service was rewarded with a plaque for his devotion. Lee’s career took his family to Ohio where he and his wife Linda settled and raised their daughter and son. He became active in his church in Ohio with fund raising and also with the NPR radio station WKSU in Kent Ohio. Lee returned to Rensselaer for the “Decade of the Sixties” reunion in 2011, where he was crowned King of the evening. In 2012, while battling cancer, he took on the responsibility of becoming the Class of 1966’s representative to the Alumni Association and gathered current contact information for as many classmates as he could find. He also gave generously to association fund raisers, in particular in deciding what the theme would be for his class’ basket for the 2012 homecoming fund raiser, and in giving to the membership drive. As a tribute to how well he was respected by his classmates, over $500 was donated in his memory to the Alumni Association when he passed away about a year ago. And in homage to his spirit of generosity, his wife Linda matched the amount.