Lee Dickerson Tankard Jr. (Chris), 52, died Tuesday, April 18, 2017, after a strong and courageous battle with cancer.

Lee was born in Chapel Hill and raised in Washington, until moving to Raleigh for college. He was the owner of Tankard Auto and Truck Service for more than 25 years. Lee loved fishing, cheering on the Tar Heels, and spending time with family and friends on Harkers Island.

Lee is survived by his wife of 27 years, Cheryl Rauf Tankard; daughter, Ashley Tankard Nelson and husband Dusten, of Harkers Island; father, Lee Tankard Sr. and stepmother Mary, of Bath; brothers, John A. Tankard and Alston D. Tankard (Lisa), of Washington; sisters, Louise Warenda (Joe) of Raleigh, and Elizabeth Tankard Edmondson (Elijah), of Greenville, and extended family members. He was predeceased by his mother, Mary Long Daniel Beasley, and grandparents, Hal R. Tankard Sr., Mary M. “Mumsie” Kugler Tankard, and Isabelle Gibbs Williamson.

The family will be holding a private service off the coast, per Lee’s wishes, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the Wake County SPCA or North Carolina Coastal Federation.