Leander R. Grubbs, better known as Lee Grubbs, was born July 8th, 1889, at Owendale, Michigan. He lived there until the year 1903, then moved to Portland, Oregon, with his parents, where his education was completed. He was trained as a civil engineer, was an expert topographer, and while at Camp Kearny training, instructed in bridge building. On October 11th, 1917, he volunteered from Reno, Nevada, in Company I, 2nd California Infantry (later the 159th Infantry of the 40th Division). He served in Company I until the 6th of July, 1918, then transferred to Headquarters Company of the same regiment. On the 8th of August he went oversea with his unit. After the battle of St. Mihiel (September 12-13) General Pershing began massing his troops to the southward of the Meuse-Argonne region. Private Grubbs was sent with replacements from the 40th Depot Division to Company E, 307th Infantry, 77th Division, on September 20th. The 77th was then taking up its position in the center of the Argonne Forest on the extreme left of the American lines.
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive endured from the 26th of September until the 11th of November, the day of the Armistice. The 77th battled northward into the Argonne in the face of every conceivable obstacle, gradually conquering the Bois de la Grurie, Bois d’Apremont. Bois de Chatel, and Bois de Mareq, and on the 11th of October emerged on the heights above the Aire River, just to the southward of Chevieres and Grand Pre. Private Grubbs was killed in action the following day (October 12, 1918) on the southern slope of the Aire River Valley. He was buried in the Argonne-American Cemetery at Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Meuse, France.

Leander Grubbs was a quiet, industrious, self sacrificing young man. His life ended, as he would have wished, in the giving of it that others might not suffer. Officers of his command have spoken of him as a man whose friendship was an honor, and as such he will always remain in the memory of the people of Nevada. His surviving relatives are his parents, Rea and Ruby Grubbs, 938 Mollalla Avenue, Oregon City, Oregon; his sisters, Mrs. O. W. Livingston, Von Ormy, Texas, and Miss Ellen Grubbs, Oregon City; and, his brothers, Thomas E. Grubbs, Portland, Oregon, (formerly in the 23d Engineer Regiment, A. E. F.), William K. Grubbs, 8th Recruit Co., Ft. McDowell, California (formerly of Reno, Nevada), Bernard Grubbs, 15th Cavalry, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Richard Grubbs and A. L. Grubbs, Oregon City, Oregon.