I knew Mr. Lee had once been a teacher, but I didn't know he was a scholar. I knew he was passionate about the Civil War but was shocked by his encyclopedic knowledge of the period. I knew that Mr. Lee was a Democrat but was unaware of the power and depth of his activism.
All was revealed in a four hour political beat down that was our first meeting. I got my clock cleaned... thoroughly and completely. One might ask why I endured the pain and humiliation. Simple. I loved his daughter.
There would be more battles. In time, I actually could hold my own against him but the first battle was the memorable one. I lost the argument but won life's lottery. A few months later his daughter became my wife.
Mr. Lee is a slice of that old style American-can-do-ism that is quickly fading from the cultural scene. He was a man ahead of his time. He and my mother-in-law adopted four children of mixed races in the 1960's and raised them in rural Wisconsin. Mr. Lee was a farmer, teacher (he taught inmates in prison as well as in high school), an entrepreneur, and an activist (There is a bluff outside of LaFarge, Wisconsin, where Gordon Lee planted about 10,000 trees in the late 1960s helping to reduce flooding in the Kickapoo Valley and in part negating the need to build a dam in the area).
Oh yeah, he was also legally blind, which was a great source of frustration in Mr. Lee's life because he never accepted his impairment. We have pictures of him driving tractors and riding mowers through the streets of his small town.
Mr. Lee was the great man who lived in a small towns. He was a good father. A fantastic citizen. Now he rests on a beautiful hill, overlooking a grove of trees, in a part of the state that still values family and embodies the protestant work ethic that defined his life.
Gordon Henry Lee, rest in peace.
Lovely tribute James! You did him proud, as they say!
Posted by: Vicki Thorn | June 19, 2010 at 11:48 AM
I know he's proud of you, James.
Posted by: Billiam | June 19, 2010 at 12:55 PM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Maddypie | June 19, 2010 at 01:29 PM
Thank you for sharing this with us James. Beautiful!
Posted by: Diana | June 19, 2010 at 04:12 PM
very nice.
Posted by: Chris | June 19, 2010 at 05:29 PM
Wonderful tribute. God rest his soul.
Posted by: debster7301 | June 19, 2010 at 06:09 PM
RIP
Posted by: justrightcandles.com | June 19, 2010 at 10:21 PM
How wonderful, James. Such kind words & a wonderful tribute to Janine & her Mom & her brothers & sisters. God Bless the whole family.
Posted by: Kelly H | June 20, 2010 at 12:15 AM
Outstanding, respectful tribute.
Posted by: Frank | June 20, 2010 at 12:34 AM
Wow, James T. Thank you. Love to Janine and you.
Posted by: terry friese | June 20, 2010 at 07:01 AM
Blessings James & family.
Posted by: Maddie - Saukville | June 20, 2010 at 09:43 PM