Sallee R. Lee, 90, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away on April 26, 2020. She was born April 7, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of John F. and Hazel Irene Jones. She was educated in Chicago and graduated from South Shore High School and then attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Mrs. Lee was preceded in death by her brother Jack and husband Bob. She is survived by her three children Greg Lee (Jenny), Topeka; Dr. David Lee, Houston, TX; and Debbie Florence (Stacy), Topeka; three grandchildren, Emily Dore, (Jim), Overland Park, KS; Amy Nohl (Brent), Prairie Village, KS; Bobby Florence, (Jazmin), Lawrence; Lekeevis Lee (preceded her in death), and six great grandchildren.
Sallee and Bob were very active in Washburn University and in 1984 the basketball arena was named after them. In 1998, Sallee received the prestigious Monroe Award at Washburn University for her work on the Washburn Women's Alliance, where she served as its first president. She also served as president of the Mulvane Art Center Board.
A highlight of her life was her partnership with Pat Stinson in their business, The Sports Boutique.
Sallee served the Topeka community as the chairperson of the Mental Health Task Force for the Volunteer Center, and president of the Topeka Day Care Association, Mrs. Topeka Active 20-30 Club, Topeka DAR and Topeka Tri Delta Alumni Association. She also was active in the Topeka Panhellenic Council, Topeka Junior League, the Mental Health Task Force for the Volunteer Center, Office of Economic Opportunity board and PEO.
Even though Sallee's parents did not attend church in Chicago, when she was nine she begin riding her bicycle to church on Sunday morning to attend church services. In Topeka, she was a very faithful member of Faith Lutheran Church where she was a Sunday School teacher for 15 years and served on the Service Guild. Later, she and her husband helped start Prince of Peace Lutheran Church where she served as a Stephan Minister and on the Service Guild.
In the end, she will be remembered as the matriarch of her family, a dependable and caring wife and mother and a devoted and compassionate advocate in the community for the less fortunate.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Washburn University's Mulvane Art Center or Washburn University Women's Alliance, 1700 SW College, Topeka, KS 66614, Topeka, KS.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, July 23, 2021 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 3625 SW Wanamaker Rd, Topeka.
To share a memory of Sallee or leave a message for her family, please visit the guestbook below.