Dr. Robert Hyatt Lee, 90, of Little Rock, died Thursday, August 22, 2024 at Presbyterian Village in Little Rock.

Born in 1934 in Monticello, Arkansas as the son of Robert Edward Lee, a farmer, and Eliza Hyatt Lee, a schoolteacher, he relished his boyhood adventures with his younger brother William Thomas Lee and the occasional shenanigans when the two joined their cousin David Taylor Hyatt Jr.

A native of Drew and Ashley counties, he graduated from Lakeside High School in Lake Village, received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and finished his doctorate at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry. He subsequently joined the United States Air Force as a captain and was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.

Hyatt, as he was known by friends and family, returned to Little Rock, set up a practice, married, and joined Second Presbyterian Church, where he later served as both a deacon and an elder. He worked as a dentist for over 50 years, frequently attending seminars to keep abreast of innovations, and he was adamant about contributing to neighboring businesses in the communities he served.

In addition to his practice, he was a curious and wide-ranging reader who explored history, politics, religion, biology, astronomy, cuisine, and gardening. He was fiercely passionate about conservation, the environment, and the outdoors, which was evinced both in his fondness for birds and flower cultivars and his long-standing memberships with the Sierra Club and Nature Conservancy.

Feisty in opinion, faithful in friendship, fluent with people, he was cherished as a father, husband, friend, brother, congregant, and member of his community. He deeply enriched many lives.

Hyatt was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Edward Lee and Eliza Hyatt Lee, and his younger brother William Thomas Lee. He is survived by a daughter, Katherine Darius Lee of Chicago, Illinois, a son, Bradford Hyatt Lee of Little Rock, Arkansas, and former wife and mother of his children Mari Burns Lee, also of Little Rock.

A memorial service will be held at 11 am, on Saturday, September 14th at Presbyterian Village in Little Rock located at 500 Brookside Dr, Little Rock, AR 72205.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial bench for Hyatt will be located in Murray Park, Little Rock, AR.  Contributions can be made via this site, details below.  

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