James (Jim) Lee

James Allen “Jim” Lee passed away at his home in Chappell Hill, TX on August 26, 2005. He was born February 24, 1934 in Westfield, TX, to Willie and Inez McGill.

He is survived by his wife, Bobbie, of 20 years; children, Joe Allen, James Darrell(Susan), Judy Lee Osburn(Ricky), Martin McAllister(Kelly); stepchildren, Robert Brown(Tracy), Sheryl Brown McKellar(Walter); eleven grandchildren; sisters Betty Burk, Lois Boyd(Chas.); brother Weldon McGill(Carol);nieces and nephews; and extended family R.J. and Velma Pound.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Billie Newsom; and great friend, Ray Horace Lee.

Jim was known to his family and friends of his youth as “Sonny” and to his grandchildren as Pop Paw “Sonny.” He was a graduate of Aldine High School. After graduating from the University of Houston with a BA in Agronomy and Animal Husbandry, Jim traveled throughout TX working for Amchem. When he was asked to transfer to another state, he quit his job, and in 1969 began his career in real estate working for Hugh Pitts and Assoc. In 1973 he opened Jim Lee Realty in West Houston, specializing in farms, ranches, and comm. property.
Jim’s love of land dates back to growing up on a large ranch where the Bush Intercontinental Airport is located. Jim was “Home on the Range” during cattle drives in the 1940s on 50,000 unimproved acres that was leased for cattle grazing to his adopted father I. N. “Buddy” Lee, long before the area was developed into Kingwood and Forest Cove. A rancher all his life, he took great pride in raising pure-bred registered Red Brahman Cattle. Being as such, in 1989, he and Bobbie moved to their ranch in Chappell Hill, TX. In 1991, he moved his real estate company to Brenham. A faithful member of the Brenham Church of Christ, Jim had a passion for the outdoors, horses, cattle, gardening tropical plants and TX natives, raising and training English Pointers, and quail hunting. He was a superb marksman.

Jim served endlessly on numerous committees and was selected by Wash. Co. C of C as Agricultural Man of the Year and by the Chronicle as Realtor of the Week. As a member of Memorial/Spring Branch International Rotary club, he served as Vice President and was awarded by the Club the distinguished Paul Harris Fellow award. Jim received his second Paul Harris award at the Brenham Rotary Club presented to him from Dewy Stringer. He was a life member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and a Junior Quarter Horse Show committeeman for over 30 years, a life time member of that committee, serving as chairman many times. He will be greatly missed.

Pallbearers: Thomas Bousquett, Tom Burrus, Mike Collier, Geo. Dillingham, Nelson Felder, Tom Kent, Hugh Pitts. Honorary pallbearers: Brenham Rotary Club.

Thank you Hospice, Jerrie Nicholson, and other friends-We love you. In lieu of flowers: memorials to the Boy’s & Girl’s Club of Brenham or Pancreatic Research M.D. Anderson.

Visitation with the family will be Sunday, August 28, 2005 from 2-4 p.m. at Brenham Memorial Chapel. Services will be held Monday, August 29, 2005 at 10:30 a.m. at Brenham Church of Christ, Victory Lane, Brenham, TX.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham. (979) 836-3611 www.brenham-memorial-chapel.com