Lee A. Dravidzius

Lee A. Dravidzius, former LLNL technical animator, died Aug. 17. He was 74.

Dravidzius was born on Aug. 9, 1945, the son of Louis and Jane (Woodworth) Dravidzius in Detroit. He married Carla Cave on July 19, 2008, in Petersburg. He was accepted into the Detroit Magnet School, Cass Technical, as an art major. His senior year he won a national poster contest with his design being put on all postal delivery trucks. He was awarded a scholarship to the California College of Art where he graduated with a bachelor's degree of fine arts in graphic design.

He was a technical animator at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 25 years. Besides being a talented artist, he was an accomplished woodworker and carpenter, skills he used to restore a 100-year-old home in Livermore. He served in the Vietnam War aboard the submarine USS Segundo in the Tonkin Gulf, attaining the rank of QM3. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign War and Sub Vets.

He is survived by his wife, Carla; a stepdaughter, Tania Nassar of Phoenix; two sisters, Elizabeth (husband George) Telfer of Troy, Michigan, and Marci Modolinski; and one brother, Al (wife Peggy) Dravidzius of Bangor, Maine. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lou and Paul Dravidzius; and his first wife, Oneida Dravidzius.

His family will be hosting a memorial gathering at Hurley Funeral Home in Petersburg on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m. There will be a celebration of his life at his family's home at a later date.

Memorials in his name may be made to Disabled American Veterans or the VFW. Please visit Lee's online obituary at hurleyfh.com to leave condolences and share memories.