Leland Kee

Long time community leader Leland B. Kee passed away at his home in Angleton on December 9, 2010 at the age of 93. Mr. Kee began practicing law in Brazoria County in 1948 and over the next 60 years left a legacy of service benefiting local schools, civic organizations, governments, and many Brazoria County citizens who turned to him for legal advice. Mr. Kee was born on a farm on Nogales Prairie in East Texas in 1917 to Mary Jane Wheat Kee and James Taylor Kee. He was the youngest of six brothers and sisters in a family that survived the great depression and flourished in post war America. Upon graduating from Groveton High School Mr. Kee attended Marshall Junior College before transferring to North Texas State where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. For two years he taught in the rural schools of Trinity County where as teacher and boys' softball coach he met and later married Marie Harkins, who was a teacher in the same school. The couple formed a union that flourished 67 years. War interrupted their lives in 1941 and Mr. Kee joined the United States Navy immediately following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He served in the South Pacific during the war remaining active in the Naval Reserves until 1977 when he retired with the rank of commander. After the war, Kee enrolled in the University of Texas to study law and upon graduation in 1948 moved to Brazoria County to begin a successful legal career, raising a family, and a life of community service. Kee's strong sense of civic duty may be best represented by a partial list of organizations to which he dedicated his time and talent: Trustee of the Angleton Independent School board for nine years and legal counsel and advisor to five AISD superintendents. Mr. Kee had a primary role in increasing the taxable valuation of the Angleton Independent School District from $13 million in the 1950's to well over $1.7 billion insuring adequate funding for generations of Angleton area school children. Last surviving charter member of the Angleton Rotary Club. He helped organize the Angleton club in the 1950's serving as the club's second president and member of the Board of Directors.
President of the Brazoria County Chamber of Commerce. Founding member Angleton Chamber of Commerce serving on numerous chamber committees, its Board of Directors, and as Chamber President. The Chamber has on two separate occasions named Kee the recipient of its Outstanding Service Award. President and director of the Brazoria County Transportation Planning Commission. In 1977, Mr. Kee led a 1,000 person countywide delegation from Brazoria County to Austin to impress on the Texas Highway Commission of the urgent need for funding for the construction of the 288 freeway. General Counsel to the Port of Freeport from its inception until 2004, Mr. Kee shepherded Port Freeport from an idea to the multibillion-dollar industry that it is today. In 1983, Kee participated in the organization of the Brazosport Economic Development Corporation. He served on its Board of Directors and as a member of its executive committee until it was merged into the Brazoria County Partnership in 1997 Charter member and first Chairman of the Brazoria County Appraisal District
Member and past president of the Brazoria County Bar Association, Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a Sustaining Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of The United States. 1961, he was appointed by Governor Price Daniel to a six-year term on the Texas Board of Corrections. An active member of the First United Methodist Church, having served as chairman of its Administrative Board and on various committees He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 67 years, Marie Harkins Kee and their infant daughter Karen Jane Kee, his parents, and his five brothers and sisters. Survivors included daughters Susan Endendyk and her husband Bruce of Lake Travis, Texas; Nancy Kee Patterson of Liverpool, Texas; son, Barry Kee and wife, Lynn of Austin, Texas; and grand children John Endendyk and wife Kristin Beck Endendyk, Matthew Endendyk, Sara Patterson, Elissa Patterson, Gena Patterson, Bradley Kee, and Michael Kee and one great grandson, William Endendyk. Mr. Kee is also survived by his long time administrative assistant Joan Chesser. The Kee Family wishes to extend a special recognition and heartfelt gratitude to Doris Granville and Betty Collier who have cared for our Dad for the last five years and to Theresa Norris, Charlene Johnson, and Rhonda Woodard of Absolutely a Better Choice Healthcare, Inc. You have all been as Angels from the Lord in our lives. Services honoring the life of Mr. Kee will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Angleton, Texas on Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 11 a.m. Graveside services will follow at Corinth Cemetery in Kennard, Texas. Honorary Pall Bearers will be Dr. Randolph Brantley, Jay Brockman, Joseph Snow, Joe Galaznick, Judge Jay Ray Gayle, III, Bob LeBoeuf, and Mark Neal. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the 23rd District Court Restoration Fund, ? Brazoria County Historical Museum, 100 E. Cedar, Angleton, TX 77515; the Leland and Marie Kee Community Service Scholarship Fund, Greater Angleton Chamber of Commerce, 445 E Mulberry, Angleton, TX 77515 or the First United Methodist Church Building Fund at PO Box 1058, Angleton, TX 77516.