Loving Father and Founding Member and President Emeritus of the Kansas Music Hall of Fame William “Bill” H. Lee, 68, died on October 16, 2015 at his home in Lawrence, Kansas.
Bill was born on December 5, 1946 in Independence, Kansas, the first of Henry Eugene and Clora Ruby (McDaniel) Lee’s three children.
As his father was in the Army, he grew up moving between Kansas, Washington, Missouri and Germany. The vaccination not yet being given in Germany, Bill was hospitalized for more than two weeks in September 1955 when he contracted polio.
After his father died in 1962 the family moved from Waynesville, Missouri back to Neodesha, Kansas, to be near his mother’s family.
Bill graduated from Neodesha High School in 1965.
He attended UCLA for fall 1965.
He served in the Kansas Army National Guard from 1966 – 1972, serving on active duty during that time.
Bill attended The University of Kansas from 1967 – 1971, 1975 – 1977 and 1989.
He attended Neosho County Community College, Chanute, Kansas in 1973.
He worked at numerous radio stations from 1968 – 1994, beginning at KKOY and moving on to KGGF, KOAK, KUDL, KLWN/KLZR, KEWI/KMAJ, KRLN/KSTY and KLRQ.
On January 4th, 1973, he married Cynthia “Cindy” Robertson in Miami, Oklahoma. They divorced in 1976.
On August 20, 1977, he married Jeanne Lee Cunningham in Lawrence, Kansas. They divorced in 1989.
In March 1999, he wrote, edited and published, “Kansas Rockers – The First Generation.”
In August 2004, Bill founded the Kansas Music Hall of Fame.
In 2006 Bill’s mother died. She had been living in Canon City, Colorado, where Bill had also lived for a few years prior to that time.
In Lawrence, Kansas on March 6, 2010, Bill was honored by a surprise Kansas Music Hall of Fame special directors induction as KMHOF founder and president.
Bill is survived by his children: Jon Barta (Tammy), Lea (Barta) Morris, Beth (Lee) Tennyson (Michael, Jr.), Dayna Lee (Ben Gibler), Kent Lee, Amanda (Lee) Terrazas (Jaime), Teresa Lee, Mark Lee and Heather Lee, all of Lawrence, Kansas; and Myk Barta of Eudora, Kansas; grandchildren: Timothy Barta, Tia Barta, Anthony Barta, Tyler Barta (Janell), Amanda Morris, Jeanne Morris, Dusty Morris, Grace Goodwin, Darcy Johnson, Michael Tennyson III, William Tennyson, Kansas Gibler, Abby Gibler, Lucy Gibler, Keegan Lee, Kaylan Lee, Kayden Lee, Keyrra Roberts, Christian Miller, Jaime Terrazas, Jr., Malyssa Terrazas, Angelina Terrazas, Kymberly Bernard, Alexandria Bernard, Isabell Bernard, one great-grandchild Huckleberry Barta; his brother Dana Lee, Morgan City, Louisiana and sister Peggy Lee, Canon City, Colorado.
Bill’s body was cremated. There will be a private family event to spread his ashes.
A Memorial Event is scheduled at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas on November 14, 2015. Details or changes will be announced on Mister Lee’s Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/bill.lee.758
To make a donation to Mister Lee’s memorial fund, go to:
https://www.gofundme.com/misterlee
