Roger Kenneth Lee Sr.

    Lee, Robert K. Sr., 70, October 22, 2012.  Arrangements by Bowers Funeral Home, Houlton.
    BREWER AND HOULTON – Roger Kenneth Lee died Oct. 22, 2012. He was born July 1, 1942, in Orient, the son of Glennis Verna (Dwyer) and Kenneth Joseph Lee.
    He attended school in Orient in a one-room schoolhouse, grades one through eight, with Marjorie Moody as the teacher. He then went onto Hodgdon High School for four years, where he graduated in 1960. His father had the snowplowing contract for the town of Orient. When Kenneth died, Roger, at the age of 16, finished out the snow plowing contract for him, driving the big plow truck and plowing all the Orient town roads for the rest of the winter. Roger received much praise from the local families for doing such a great job on the roads and still keeping up with his schoolwork.
    He worked for the U.S. Boundry Commission, clearing the border between Maine and Canada, during the summer between his junior and senior year of high school and again the next summer right after he graduated. He graduated from Hanson’s Barber College, Lewiston, in 1961. He barbered in Mars Hill and Fort Fairfield before buying Bates Barbershop, Houlton, where he barbered for 30 years. He loved cutting hair and talking with his customers, and made many friends among the townspeople.
    In 1990 he and his wife, Mary, moved to Portland, where they worked for Spurwink School as therapeutic foster parents in one of the homes. He enjoyed working with the special needs adults and, in 1998, won the first John Rosser Award for his accomplishments with the three young adults he worked with. During the 16 years he lived in Portland, he worked part time in a barbershop in South Portland. He retired in 2006 and moved to Brewer and lived there ever since.
    Roger also had a camp in Haynesville that he loved to go to. He enjoyed being close to nature in the beautiful woods of Maine and many years of hunting, fishing, snow-mobiling, four-wheeling and puttering around camp. He reloaded ammunition, and repaired and refinished guns for his friends and himself for many years. He spent many evenings relaxing this way after working in the barbershop all day.
    Roger and his wife raised their children in Houlton. He loved to take them bird and deer hunting and fishing. He instilled a reverence of God and nature in them.
    He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen (Irish) Lee; four children, Laurie Hale and her husband, Cameron, of Henderson, Tenn., Diane Kinney and her husband, Austin, of Houlton, Beverly Adams and her husband, Bud, of Brewer and Roger “Kenny” Lee Jr. and his wife, Sandi, of Linneus; nine grandchildren, Mary, Roger and CJ Hale, Nicholas and Quinn Kinney, Aric Williams, Katie Adams, Erica and Jonathan Flewelling; four great-grandchildren, Ryan Hale, Cadence Kinney, Drake and Braeden Bennett; uncle, Hartley Dwyer of Weston; several cousins, nieces and nephews. He leaves two very special friends, Chris and Stephanie. He was predeceased by his parents; and two grandchildren, Brittany and Jarrett.
    Memorial services were held 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at Bowers Funeral Home, 10 Water St., Houlton, where a time of fellowship immediately followed. Those who wish may donate to Alzheimer’s Association, 383 U.S. Route 1, Suite 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074. For an online memory book and to leave condolences, please visit www.bowers funeral.com.