Lee B. Ingraham of Norwich, New York, passed away on March 5, 2025, at the age of 83. He was predeceased by his father, Johnie B. Ingraham, and mother, Rosemary Ingraham, both of Greene, NY. He was also predeceased by his daughter, Rachael Anne Burks of Washington, VA. She leaves behind her husband, Fulmer Burks of Washington, VA and their four children: Madeline Fowler, Jackson Fowler, Isabel Burks and Christine Burks.
Lee is survived by his former wife, Karen Jean Ingraham of Washington, VA, and their surviving two daughters: Juliana Rose Young and Kristen Marie Ingraham. Juliana resides in Churchton, MD, with her children Gabrielle, Emma, William and Olivia. Kristen Marie Ingraham resides in New York City.
Lee is also survived by his sister, Joan McDonald of Easley, SC, his brother Vern and wife Judith Ingraham of Port Crane, NY, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cherished friends and neighbors.
Lee graduated from Greene Central School in 1959 and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York at Albany in 1968. In March of 1971, he graduated from the New York State Bankers Association School of Executive Development at West Point, NY.
Lee was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1964 and completed his basic training in Fort Dix, NJ, and advanced individual training with the 1st Infantry Division Artillery in Ft. Riley, Kansas. He was later assigned to Vietnam, where he was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal. He was honorably discharged from the Army on December 31, 1969.
In 2008, Lee retired as Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Stamford Bank Corp. and its subsidiary, The National Bank of Stamford. He began his banking career with The First National Bank in Greene, NY in 1961, and in 1963 went to work for Marine Midland in Binghamton, NY. Upon graduating from college in June 1968 and passing his Civil Service Exam to become a FDIC Bank Examiner, Lee chose instead to return to Marine Midland to join their newly formed Loan Officer Development program. He became a Credit Officer and then a Commercial Loan Officer and was promoted to Assistant Treasurer. In May 1974, he resigned to accept a position with Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City in their Global Credit Training Program. In November 1974, he was promoted to Vice President and transferred to Binghamton, NY, as head of the bank’s Commercial Lending department. From July 1984 to January 1985, Lee served as both Vice President of the parent bank, Chase Manhattan Bank, and its subsidiary, Chase Lincoln First Bank, to oversee the commercial loan activities of that acquisition. In February 1985, he resigned to accept the position of Vice President of Key Bank of Central New York, N.A., in charge of commercial lending in the Southern Tier of New York State and to complete the acquisition by Key Bank of the former operations of the Bank of New York and Bankers Trust Co. in that region. In November 1989, he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Key Bank of Central New York in charge of all Commercial Lending activities for all of Central New York. This entailed moving his family to Syracuse, NY. He oversaw the merger of commercial loan activities of Key Bank of Northern New York into the Central New York Region that expanded the Bank’s market area to include the Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Utica, Watertown and the Adirondack (North Country) markets.
In 1996, Lee resigned from Key Bank and moved to Stamford, NY, to accept the position of President and CEO of Stamford Bank Corp. His Board would later add the position of Chairman of the Board to his list of responsibilities. On Mary 9, 2008, he officially retired after successfully negotiating the merger/acquisition of Stamford Bank Corp. by National Bank of Delaware County.
Lee Ingraham served on various Boards of Directors of various civic and bank-related organizations throughout his 45+ years-long banking career. He is former President of The Greater Stamford Chamber of Commerce, former Board Member of The New York Bankers Association, former Board Member of New York Bankers Service Corporation, former Board Member of The Delaware Country Chamber of Commerce, served as an instructor for the American Institute of Banking, and taught classes at Broome Community College for five years, former Board Member of Broome County Chamber of Commerce, former Board Member of the Binghamton Rotary Club, former Board Member and Past President of the Broome County Bankers Association, former Board Member of the Southern Tier Association of Credit and Financial Management, former Board Member and Past Chairman of the Southern Tier Chapter of Robert Morris Associates, former Board Member of New Industries for Broome, former Board Member of Harpur Forum of SUNY-Binghamton, former Board Member of Susquehanna Council of Boy Scouts of America and Counselor for the Eagle Scout program, former Vestry Member and Senior Warden of the Zion Episcopal Church in Greene, NY, former Board Member and Chairman of the 1989 Fund Drive for the Broome County Arts Council, former Board Member of the State University of New York at Binghamton Foundation, former Advisory Board Member of the Center of Leadership Studies at SUNY Binghamton, former Board Member and Treasurer of the Episcopal Foundation of the Diocese of Central New York, former Board Member of the Binghamton City Club, member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, past Board Member, Assistant Secretary and Chairman of the Audit Committee of the SUNY Health Center Foundation, past Board Member and Vice Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Syracuse Salvation Army.
In 1980, New York State Governor, Hugh Carey, appointed Ingraham to three terms on the NYS Temporary State Commission on Dioxin Exposure to study the effects of exposure to Agent Orange on returning service personnel. The Commissions heard testimony throughout the State and traveled to the Pentagon for updates on ongoing scientific studies being conducted.
In 2006, Ingraham was named as “Person of the Year” by the Greater Stamford Area Chamber of Commerce.
After his retirement in 2008, Lee enjoyed vintage automobiles, golf, gardening, antiquing, but most of all following the activities of his children and grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at Root Funeral Home [23 North Chenango Street, Greene, NY 13778.] Friends of the family may call Monday, March 10, 2025 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. at Root Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will be held at Sylvan Lawn Cemetery in the Spring. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.rootfh.com.