Robert Lee

1941 - 2024

Robert Godfrey Lee, affectionately known as Bob, Dad, Boppa, and The Professor, passed away peacefully at his home in Everett on July 12, 2024, at the age of 83, surrounded by his loving family. He died of pulmonary fibrosis from long-term complications of Covid.

Bob was born in St. Helena on May 19, 1941, and grew up in Cobb Valley, Lake County, California. He was raised among undeveloped hills, streams, timber and wildlife, freely exploring the unsettled country, fishing in creeks running by his home, and developing a passion for this land that later determined the course of his life. He attended Cobb Valley School, a one room K-8 schoolhouse before the family moved to Lakeport, where he graduated from Clear Lake Union High School and went on to study Forestry at UC Berkeley.

Upon graduating with honors and a Phi Beta Kappa key, Bob went to work for Rockport Redwood Company. This job shaped his future academic pursuits. He was deeply influenced by how the forestry profession intersected with community and pursued graduate studies for his MA at Yale, where he blended philosophy, ecology and sociology to study human behavior in Environmental Sciences. Bob returned to UC Berkeley for his PhD, joining the Forestry Department as an associate professor. In 1978, he joined the University of Washington's College of Forest Resources, where he taught for over thirty years as a professor.

He was a true scholar and scientist, but equally, an enthusiast of the creative arts, particularly opera, poetry, and woodworking. He was a spiritual seeker, studying a broad range of religions and philosophies, searching for spiritual truth and enlightenment. He was a Husky fan, a writer, a Master Gardener, a loving father, a devoted brother, a gentle friend and a wonderful husband.

Bob was preceded in death is by his parents John Mildeberger Lee and H. Katharine Hildebrand Lee. He is survived by his three children Laura (Gregory) Lindberg, Christina (Matthew) McKellar and Mark (Kristen) Lee, his beloved grandchildren Jenna, Austin & Madison, Anderson, Stella and Colbie; his four sisters Genevieve Lowrance, Marjorie (Robert) McNairn, Mary Ellen Dias and Elizabeth (Patrick) Boren; and his wife Kathleen "Katie" Venables Lee, her daughter Frances Waldrop and son James (Kaelee) Waldrop.

Bob spent his life touching the hearts of those around him with his wisdom, intellect, warm spirit and kindness. In lieu of flowers, donations in Memory of Robert G. Lee may be made to Shriners Children's Hospital. (https://www.shrinerschildrens.org), which held a special place in his heart for surgically repairing his arm when he was a child. A private memorial gathering to celebrate his life will be announced later.