Thomas Atkinson Lee passed away suddenly at his home in Boerne, Texas at the end of December 2018.  He was born in Maysville, Kentucky September 6, 1942; on the birthday of his paternal grandmother Florence Utter Atkinson of Maysville.  His father was Captain Norman Ingvar Lee, Jr. USN (Retired) and his mother Mary Atkinson Lee both of Maysville.  He is survived by an older brother, Colonel Norman Ingvar Lee III, USAF (Retired) of Tucson, AZ and two younger brothers Captain Charles Hovde Lee, USAF (Retired) of Omaha, NE and Sigurd Edward Lee of Marietta, GA.  His paternal grandparents were Norman Ingvar Lee and Anne Howard Lee of Covington, KY and maternal grandparents were William Edward Atkinson and Florence Atkinson of Maysville.

After graduating from Rogers High School in Newport, RI Tom enlisted in the US Army in the spring of 1961 serving over eight years with two overseas assignments to Germany and 15 months in combat with the 1 ^st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) in South Vietnam from 1965 to 1967.  For his service in Vietnam he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for Valor, the Bronze Star Medal with V device for valor and 1 oak leaf cluster, and the Purple Heart with 2 oak leaf clusters.  After leaving the Army in 1969 he joined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an Air Traffic Controller.  He served in the FAA at Richmond, Virginia and Miami Florida for eleven years but did not return to the Administration after President Reagan fired all the controllers for going on strike in 1981.  Later in 1981 he joined his brother Sigurd who worked as a manufacturer's representative for the Nike Corporation.  Tom was well liked and highly respected by everyone in the company and remained in the job until he retired in 2004.

Tom was fond of fashionable clothes, good dance partners, practical jokes that would go on for years, Spurs Basketball, good food, sharp/fast cars, pets (dogs, cats & tropical fish).  His last pet was Tank, an English Bull Dog.  He particularly did not like other (bad) drivers, politicians and pilots who disagreed with him.

Gardening was his annual summer activity and he would happily tell you all the details.  He subsisted all summer and fall from his crops of tomatoes, squash, melons, beans etc.  An avid collector he was proudest of the letters with uncancelled stamps on them from well-known celebrities, historical characters etc.  He also actively ran an EBay Business.  Driving across the country in his latest Corvette automobile was a favorite thing for him to attend family events where he doted on his nieces and nephews.  He would take them on Ferris Wheel Rides and drive by to drop off computers to them when Nike gave him a new one.  He also insisted on buying everyone dinner until a nephew's Wedding party in Spokane, WA.  From then on he would gleefully let you buy dinner to get back.

For years he suffered bad health from his Vietnam combat experiences probably caused by exposure to Agent Orange, shrapnel being pulled from his legs at the VA hospital, and later in life cardiac issues.

He was a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the 28 ^th Infantry Association, The Society of the First Infantry Division and the Rogers High School Alumni Association.

Tom will be laid to rest in the Maysville, KY Cemetery.  His family has requested that in lieu of flowers donations can be made to the National Museum of the United States Army where he was a Founding Member.  Army Historical Foundation, Campaign for the National Museum of the United States Army 2425 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22201.