Charles William Lea's Obituary
Charles William Lea, of Collierville, passed away Friday, November 11, at his home. He was fifty-four years old. Mr. Lea graduated from KingsburyHigh School in 1975, attended ShelbyStateCommunity College, and graduated from MemphisStateUniversity. Mr. Lea played professional baseball for the Double-A Memphis Chicks before moving on to a successful major-league career with the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins. He tossed a no-hitter in 1981 and was the starting and winning pitcher in the 1984 All-Star game. Following his playing career, Mr. Lea returned to Memphis, where he ran a construction business. Mr. Lea returned to professional baseball in 2000, when he began serving as the color commentator for the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was also a fixture on the Memphis youth baseball scene. He mentored hundreds of young athletes both as a coach and as an instructor at Dulin’s SportsAcademy. Mr. Lea’s passions included his faith, his country, and the outdoors. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, and friend. Mr. Lea is survived by his loving wife, Louise; sons, Brian and Matt; parents, John and Norma; and sisters, Cathy Pinson and Carol Hastings. The family will receive friends from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm on Tuesday, November 15, 2011, at Germantown Church of Christ, 8723 Poplar Pike. The service will follow at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests that memorials be sent to St. Jude Children’s ResearchHospital.
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