Lee Carey Thompson, age 48, of Alpharetta, GA, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2026, at Northside Hospital Forsyth, following a courageous and lengthy battle with cancer. He was surrounded by family and close friends in the hours before his passing.
Lee was born on January 8, 1978, in Gadsden, AL, and spent much of his childhood in
Cullman, AL. There, he attended St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Cullman Middle School, and St. Bernard Preparatory School. He later graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, in 2000.
Lee proudly served his country for more than two decades, including five years in the United States Army and sixteen additional years in the Alabama Army National Guard, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His distinguished military career included 12-month deployments to Kuwait as an Air Defense Officer, service in Iraq during Desert Storm with the 7th Cavalry Regiment as a Forward Fire Control Officer, and two deployments to Afghanistan as an Engineer Officer. In recognition of his exemplary service, Lee received numerous military honors, including three Bronze Star medals and a Legion of Merit medal.
Following his military career, Lee worked as a VP, Senior Development Leader for Synchrony Financial. Outside of work, he greatly enjoyed traveling with his wife, Dedra, and spending time outdoors camping with his two sons. He had a passion for Porsche automobiles, WWII history, and maintaining lifelong friendships. Lee remained deeply connected to many of his Army comrades—both officers and enlisted soldiers—and often traveled to reunite with them over the years.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Dedra Thomas; mother-in-law, Kathie
Thomas; sons, Brennen Thompson and Graham Thompson; father, Carey Thompson; sister, Brook McNew; former wife, Lindsay (McBride) Sutton; uncles, Bill Thompson and Scott Thompson; aunt, Becky Hall; and numerous cousins and dear friends.
Lee was preceded in death by his mothers, Beverly (Hicks) Thompson and Becky (Camp)
Thompson.
He will be memorialized by a Celebration of Life service at Ingram Funeral Home in Cumming, GA, at 3 p.m. on May 28th.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to St. Paul’s Lutheran School at website: https://stpaulscullman.com/
