Mr. Robert T. “Bobby” “Red” Lee of Lanett, AL, entered into eternal rest on Friday, August 18, 2023 at Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center, LaGrange, GA.

The Man:
Mr. Robert Thomas Lee was born on April 9, 1937, in Tallassee, Alabama to the late Bennie Lee and Grace Campbell (Lee) Simpson. He was the first grandson in the Thomas Washington Campbell Family and was given the name of both his maternal and paternal grandfathers. To family and friends, he was affectionately known as Bobby. Like others in his family, he was raised by his maternal grandparents until he was five. He was especially close to his grandmother and proved to be a well-behaved companion for her. Together, they enjoyed shopping, attending church, traveling out of town and he sometimes accompanied her at work.

Once school age, he relocated to Lanett, Alabama to be with his parents and his sister Marion Lee Bell. He remained in the Chambers County School District until he was in the 10th grade. He completed high school at Bordentown Manual Training School in Bordentown, New Jersey, where he became a star football player. During that time, he lived with his uncle and aunt Charles Whitfield and Bettye Campbell. Upon graduation from High School, he enrolled at Texas Southern University in Houston where he continued playing football and majored in General Science. In 1963, he was drafted into the US Army, serving most of his time in Germany. He was granted an early release in 1965 to complete his course work for the Bachelor of Science degree at Texas Southern. Upon graduation, he returned home to Lanett and began his teaching career at East Depot Elementary School in LaGrange, Georgia. He went on to complete his Master’s and Specialist Degrees from the University of Montevallo and Jacksonville State University, respectively. It was in LaGrange where Robert met a beautiful lady name Yvonne Wright. In 1965, they were married and to that union two beautiful daughters, April and Robinette, were born.

The Myth:
Mr. Lee touched the lives of thousands of students during his career. He served as a coach, a science teacher, and a driver’s education teacher for many years. His educational service began in LaGrange, Georgia and from there, he taught in Senoia, Georgia at East Coweta High School. In 1975, he became the Assistant Principal at West Rome High School in Rome, Georgia and his family relocated to Cedartown, Georgia. Throughout his teaching career, he was also a referee for basketball and a baseball umpire. In 1988, he left Rome to become the Assistant Principal at Southwest Dekalb High School in Dekalb County. He retired from the Dekalb County School system in 1997 as the principal at Towers High School.

In his more than 33 years of teaching, coaching, and administrating, he always held a high standard of excellence, discipline, and leadership. He received accolades for being the best wherever he worked. His colleagues, parents, and students knew him to be firm but fair.
The Legend:

While he loved what he did, his greater love was his family and friends. Whether you knew him as Robert, Bobby, Red, or a host of other affectionate names, he was one of the best friends that you could have. He belonged to the LaGrange and Cedartown American Legions and would always be found participating in something fun, like the Kings Club in Cedartown. He loved to travel, was an avid Georgia football fan, and a Falcons fan on occasion. He loved gaming and in his retirement years, when asked where he was going, he would say “work”.
The other passion that he had was God! He lived his life helping others. He was in church from a young age in Lanett, Alabama as a member of Goodsell Episcopal Methodist Church (Goodsell United Methodist Church) for many years. No matter where he moved, he always joined a local church and worshiped there. In 2003, when he moved back to Lanett, he joined Ebenezer Baptist Church and became very active. He was installed as a Deacon in 2012, where served faithfully until he became ill.

Robert T. Lee was beloved by so many people. Among them are his daughters April Lee Idleburg, Robinette Lee Rasberry, Yolanda Merideth Hamilton; his grandsons Myles Cameron Glover and Carrington Lee Rasberry; his sister, Dr. Marion Lee Bell; his aunt, Bettye Campbell; his nephews and nieces: Kelvin Bell, Kristie Bell Petershack, Kamin Bell Samuel, and Keane Bell; a host of cousins, friends and a devoted caregiver, Shasta Darden.

Funeral Service will be held Sunday, August 27, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. ET in the sanctuary of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, 1006 North 10th Avenue, Lanett, AL 36863 with Rev. Dr. Jesse Walker, Pastor/Eulogist, Evangelist Patricia Rose-McGrew, Reverend Nellie Williams, assisting.

Interment will follow in the Ft. Tyler Cemetery, Austin Street, West Point, GA

Public viewing will be held on Saturday, August 26, 2023 from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the mortuary.

The family will receive friends on Saturday from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 at the mortuary.

Funeral Service Arrangements entrusted to M.W. Lee Mortuary