Lee Parrott, age 81 of Fremont, passed away on Saturday, March 31, 2012. He was born April 27, 1930 to the late Elmer and Grace (Mentzel) Parrott in Neenah, WI.

Lee was a 1948 graduate of Neenah High School, in which he lettered in several sports. He was elected captain of the football team and participated in the 1947 Wisconsin State Basketball Tournament. He also held a shot put school record in track.

Lee served his country in the US Army during the Korean War from 1949 to 1952. He was discharged with the rank of Staff Sergeant.

On November 2, 1949, Lee married his high school sweetheart, Nancy Olski and recently celebrated 62 years of marriage.

On May 1, 1953, Lee joined the Neenah Police Department. During his 35-year career, he touched many lives as he made his way through the ranks starting on Doty Island as a Beat Patrol Officer and subsequently retiring as Captain of Detectives and all Special Units. The Special Units included the S.W.A.T. team and tactical units, the Juvenile Division, which included the first Neenah police school liaison officer at Shattuck Junior High School, the I.O. Division and the C.S.I. Division.

Lee served as president on the Fox Valley Technical College training board of directors, a charter member of the Association of S.W.A.T. Personnel of Wisconsin, served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Juvenile Officers Association and was responsible for establishing the Winnebago County Drug Unit with other members of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, Menasha, and Oshkosh Police Departments. In April 1977, Lee proudly graduated from the FBI Academy at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia. A very special honor was bestowed upon him in 1988 when he was unanimously voted as Policeman of the Year.

After retirement from the department, Lee and Nancy moved to the Waupaca area and later became official snowbirds of Mission, TX, enjoying several winters in the South. Lee was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, four-wheeling and trap shooting. He was a charter member of the Paynes Point Hook and Spear Fishing Club, a former member of the Twin City Rod and Gun Club, and the Poygan Gun Club. Lee also actively participated as a member of the American Legion-Post 391 and was a member of Hope United Church of Christ in Fremont.

Lee will be sadly missed by his wife, Nancy; and his three children: Kim (Mary) Parrott of Green Bay; Tamara (Van) Jorstad of Sunrise Beach, MO; and Marcia (Jerry) Engel of New London; his grandchildren: Kris (Jill) Parrott; Jaime (Nick) Kulibert; and Jade Engel and her special friend, Aldon; Ashley (Tony) Jones; Nathan (Sarah) Jorstad; great-grandchildren: James Parrott; Kinley Kulibert; and Shae Parrott; Brent, Cole, Carson, Bella, and Peyton Jones; Jesse, Norah, Kaitlin Jorstad. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Robert Parrott; a granddaughter; and a great-granddaughter; as well as several aunts and uncles.

Lee will be fondly remembered for his avid storytelling, his many, many jokes, his reputation of always knowing someone no matter where he traveled and his profound knack of being good at everything- he loved the competition and always won!

The funeral service for Lee will be held Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 4:00 P.M. at Neenah’s Westgor Funeral Home, Rev. Alex Tychkin officiating. Visitation will be from 12:00 NOON until the hour of service. Burial will be at Greenlawn Memorial Park, Neenah.

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established.