Roosevelt Lee Jr. was born on August 10th, 1931, the 4th of 8 children, to Roosevelt Lee Sr and

Mary Parker Scott, in Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Birmingham Public Schools -

from Patterson Elementary, and then, Parker High School in 1948.

Roosevelt had a keen sense of adventure as a young lad. He would train hop to escape the

oppressive Jim Crow policies of the time. He would later serve in the U.S. Air Force where he

managed radio communications. During this time, he was stationed in (Fort Snelling)

Minneapolis, MN, where he met Barbara Jane Merrill. This union produced 2 children, Tony and

Terry Lee.

In later years, Roosevelt Lee Jr, relocated to Milwaukee, WI, remarried, and dedicated his life to

Jehovah. He was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, alongside his wife Bessie Pearl, in

the spring of 1963. They bore a son, Stephen Eugene in 1963. As an ordained minister,

Roosevelt helped hundreds dedicate their lives to serving Jehovah, expanding the territory

across Greater Milwaukee, serving faithfully for over 60 years until his last breath.

His love of travel continued throughout his life, sharing his love of the open road with his

children and grandchildren, traveling thousands of miles across the country, and later to Hawaii and Africa.  

An avid gardener, he maintained a garden no matter where he lived, producing

some of the largest crops of zucchini, collard greens, peppers and tomatoes you’d ever seen! A

jazz enthusiast, he loved to sit back, listen to the tunes and spend time with his brothers, friends

and extended family …and he loved a good game of pool!

Roosevelt retired from Milwaukee Public Schools as an engineer. For many years prior, he was

a renowned barber, and owned a barber shop on Ft. Washington Road, in Milwaukee. A skill

and talent he would pass down to his daughter Terry, who owned a chain of salons in West

Africa; and his Granddaughter LaShawnda Anika, a cosmetology instructor and cosmetic

manufacturer…and radio personality; granddaughter Jennifer, a makeup artist.

Roosevelt passed away peacefully in his sleep the morning of Friday March 1, 2024 at his home

in Detroit, Michigan. He is preceded in death by his parents, Roosevelt Lee Sr and Mary Lee,

his first wife, Barbara Jane Fisher (d. 2012), and his wife of 57 years, Bessie Pearl Lee, brother:

David Lee Sr, sisters: Louise Cook, Mary Elizabeth Hall, Ethel Brown, brothers: George Sr,

Joseph Lee, and nephew George Jr, great nephews Keith Duncan, Darrick Bolton.

He is survived by his brother Jake Lee Sr - the youngest and last of the Lee siblings. His

children Tony (Valerie) Lee, of Mukwonago, WI, Terry ‘Arabia’ Lee Touray of Detroit, MI, and

Stephen Eugene (Sally) Lee of Milwaukee, WI. His grandchildren include Ian Mark Lee, Jennifer

Kaye (Jeff) Meyer, Bethany Diane Lee, Chad Nolan (Laura) Lee, LaShawnda Anika (Juneau)

Robbins, Marquita Ireti Balogun, Latoya Adedoyin Balogun, Rayshael Omowunmi (Dominic) Balogun-Scott, Paris Lee, Stephen Lee Jr, Shapanya Lee. Additionally, he was blessed with 17 great-

grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family who lovingly called

him ‘Uncle June’.

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