LEE, Brian Ross Lee

It is with sadness and gratitude for a life well lived, we announce the passing of our darling dad, Brian Ross Lee, in his 87th year, on Friday, February 6, following a short but rapid decline in health. He was surrounded by the love of his girls, close family and his caregiver, Wed.

Brian was born in 1939 to Ross and Doris Lee in Oshawa and raised on the family dairy farm with his sister Diane.

The Lee family, early settlers in the area, were a large part of agricultural development dating back to 1836.

His family instilled the values of hard work, integrity, a good education and community. He fostered these throughout his life.

Brian studied at OAC (Ontario Agricultural College, now University of Guelph) where he excelled as a leader and was voted President of his year by his peers. It was an exciting time for education in farming in the ‘50s, moving from a lifestyle to using science and data and now referred to as Agri-Business.

Guelph was also the meeting place for him and Lynda, who was attending MacDonald Hall. He charmed the city girl and shared 62 beautiful years of marriage. Together they built a full and adventurous life, raising four daughters and travelling the world. Many favourite memories were made on ski trips, where lifelong friendships were formed.

Brian often said that one of the best decisions was purchasing a ski chalet at Mont-Sainte-Anne, which became the heart of 35 years of unforgettable family memories.

Dad loved people (he had a genuine curiousity that made everyone feel seen), current events (he could talk on any subject), politics (joking he just wanted to live long enough to see Trudeau go!), the Boston Bruins and a gin and tonic with a scored tangerine.

After the passing of his cherished wife and our mum Lynda in 2021, Dad became our confidant with no judgement, but lots of opinions. We’ll miss that.

While his later years brought some loss of mobility and independence, he met every challenge with grace.

The need for community is never so pronounced as when we get old. Dad didn’t miss a road trip unless weather related, heading out with his caregiver Wed for hours rolling up and down the sideroads in his fancy wheelchair and visiting with neighbours or out for a weekly drive with one of his girls looking at crops and orchards and stopping to chat with anyone he knew (there was a lot of stopping lol). He seemed to have a visitor daily, family, neighbours, farm friends, old school friends, party friends, ski friends, hay boys, musicians, the minister…..we could go on.

To you, his community, thank you for loving our dad.

Brian is survived by and lovingly remembered by his daughters Susan Dearborn (Dave), Nancy Thompson (Park), Barbara Lee-Nielsen (Carl), and Allyson Lee-Donaldson (Jeff), six grandchildren, Lauren, Chloe, Brianne, Matt, Anders, and Jordan, two great-grandchildren, William and Oliver (with two more on the way), his lovely sister Diane Werry and favourite cousin Catherine Hawley. Also remembered by his wonderful nieces and nephews, sisters in law and extended family.

A sincere thank you to Dr. Kassirer for helping us keep dad in his home for the last years.

A special and heartfelt thank you to Wednes, Brian’s live-in caregiver. We are deeply grateful for your compassion, and the comfort and care you brought into his life and ours.