Ptlm. Robert E. Lee 1930-1960 |
Robert E. Lee was born in Las Cruces, New
Mexico on December
25, 1930, and graduated from Union High School. He served in the U. S.
Navy for four years and attended A & M State College for two years.
He
joined the New Mexico State Police on October 7, 1955, and was stationed
in Las Cruces.
On August 16, 1960, in the early morning hours, Robert received a call from the sheriff’s department reporting several subjects trying to flag down passing motorists on U. S. 70, east of Las Cruces. Not knowing if it was a motorist in need of assistance or an accident, Robert responded. At about 2:00 a.m. as Robert was traveling to the call, a 1953 Mercury driven by a Texas youth, made a U-turn in front of him. Robert applied his brakes and skidded 273 feet, veering from the left lane to the right lane. The 1960 Ford, unit 167, began to side skid, causing the left rear fender to strike the right front fender of the Mercury. This caused the police car to roll over twice, ejecting Robert. He died from multiple injuries, |
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| including a fractured skull.
His watch stopped at
2:11 a.m. His commander, Captain Archie White, eulogized him by saying,
“He will be missed by the entire force, for he was a good officer and
well-liked by his brother officers. But I believe I will miss him the
most because I could place so much responsibility on him.” Robert was
buried in Las Cruces and was survived by his wife, two daughters, and
one son.
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