Anna Carpenter Lee

Stephen Wayne Lee, a 15th generation American and eighth generation Texan left this earth on May 7 to be welcomed into heaven by his heavenly father Jesus Christ. Stephen enjoyed life and was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. The family will receive friends at Stewart Family Funeral Home on, Saturday May 13th, from 6-8p.m. with a Sunday Service to follow at Roselawn Cemetery 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Memorial Service at the Green Acres Chapel. Stephen was a long time member of Green Acres Baptist Church. Honorary pallbearers will be Bobby Perdue, Robert Hilliard, Daniel Evans, Ken Hapgood. Stephen first saw the "love of his life", Anna Marie Carpenter in November of 1979. He was then Sports Director for KLTV-TV in Tyler and was covering a Tyler Junior College football game. While using binoculars, to identify the players, he caught sight of the Director of the Apache Belles seated in the opposite bleachers. He told his photographer, “I just saw the most beautiful girl I have ever seen and I have to meet her!" They soon began dating and were married on June 20, 1981. Up until his death he continued so say Anna was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen! He is survived by a brother Philip Lee of Tyler and sister, Debra Rounsavall of Tyler. He is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces. Steve was preceded in death by his parents Rev. H.L and Ludie Lee. Stephen graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a bachelor’s degree in Radio and Television Communication. Following graduation he began his broadcasting career with KDOK-KNUE radio where he said “I was a rock and roll disc jockey making $100 a week and loving every minute!” While at KDOK-KNUE, Steve felt fortunate to have met and interviewed then President Gerald Ford, Vice President Nelson Rockerfeller, future President Ronald Reagan and questioned President Richard Nixon. He later moved to KLTV-TV where he eventually became Sports Director and on- air anchor. He thoroughly enjoyed his employment at KLTV and loved covering Dallas Cowboy training camps in California, NFL games at Texas Stadium, covering two Super Bowls and covering the Texas Rangers. He was an ardent sports fan and was fortunate to have met and interviewed a number of child hood hero’s including Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Joe Namath, Merlin Olson and other great athletes. It was a game to Steve that he could say he had met and spoke with every President of the United States since LBJ. In July of 1980, Stephen along with Bobby Perdue and Robert Hilliard left KLTV to form LPH Productions, a video production and marketing company. Through the years they produced videos for such companies as Microsoft, Las Vegas Tourist Bureau, DFW Tourist Bureau, City of Houston, the Brookshire Grocery Company, the Trane Company and many others. Business took Stephen around the world and he was fortunate to often be accompanied by the love of his life, Anna, on many of those trips. Business took the couple to cities across the United States, to Canada, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America and to numerous islands in the Caribbean. Both Matthew and Britton worked with him and he felt so fortunate to have his family close. Stephen had a genuine love of genealogy and took great pride in researching his patriot ancestors that formed this great country. His passion began when his son Matthew watched a Civil War Reenactment during an American History Class at Hubbard Middle School. Matthew said he wished he had a Civil War ancestor and Steve researched and discovered his great-great grandfather had fought in the Civil War and later became a Texas Ranger. The fire had been lit! Anna wanted to prove one of her ancestors had served in the Civil War and continued her search back to a patriot ancestor that had served in the Revolutionary War. A love of family heritage began! Steve’s earliest discovered ancestor, Christopher Tilghman, immigrated to the Virginia Colony in 1620 and Stephen enjoyed tracking the subsequent generations and discovering where and how each ancestor lived. Steve was an active member of the Captain William Barron Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution where he was past president. He was a proud member of the chapter Color Guard and took great pride in wearing his Colonial Soldier Revolutionary War uniform and appearing at numerous events to promote patriotism. He was District X Vice President for the Texas Society, SAR, and served on many committees. On the National level he was a member of numerous committees and served as National Videographer traveling, along with Anna, to SAR activities across the country. He was a proud member of Sons of the Republic of Texas, Descendents of Washington's Army at Valley Forge and Order of the Founders of North America. One of his proudest moments came when he discovered that his Revolutionary War Patriot, James Harris, had survived the terrible winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge and it was then discovered that Anna's Revolutionary War Patriot, George Carpenter, had also spent that winter at Valley Forge. A fact finding trip to Valley Forge proved their patriot ancestors were only two encampments apart. Steve and Anna often commented that their great grandfathers would have had to have known each other since they were both from Virginia and wouldn't they be proud that their grandchildren had married and were working to keep their heritage alive nine generations later. He was also proud of the fact that he had discovered 12 patriot ancestors that served during the American Revolution, one of them at the Battle of Bunker Hill which began the American Revolution. Steve and Anna both had patriot ancestors that served in the same encampment 100 yards apart in the brutal winter of Valley Forge. What are the chances of that! Anna Marie Lee was born on October 3, 1951 in Tyler to William Smith Carpenter and Martina Vukovich Carpenter. Anna Marie Lee received her Bachelor’s Degree from Texas Christian University where she was a member of the Phi Upsilon Omicron National Honor Society, President of Chi Omega Sorority and was an Original Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. She received her Master’s Degree from Texas Women’s University. Soon after, she became the Executive Director of the Internationally Famous Apache Belles at Tyler Junior College as well as the Dean of Women. Under her direction, the Belles performed at the halftime of the Super Bowl, met President Jimmy Carter at the White House in Washington D.C., performed during the halftime at numerous Dallas Cowboy games at Texas Stadium, at numerous bowl games, NFL playoff games, the National Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington D.C., and met celebrities including Bob Hope, Red Skelton and Anita Bryant. She appeared on the cover of “Sports Illustrated” with four of the other original cheerleaders and also appeared on “Entertainment Tonight”, “Inside Edition”, ESPN and in “Texas Monthly. She is an Honorary Regent of the Mary Tyler Chapter and has served her chapter in numerous chairmanships. She is serving as National Vice Chairman of the NSDAR Credentials Committee and as District VI Chairman of the TXDAR/SAR Liaison Committee. She is a past president of the Piney Woods Regent’s Council, District VI Director, an officer of the TX DAR State Chairman’s Club, TXDAR State Chapter Regent’s Club, and the TXDAR State Chapter Chairman’s Club. She is the Recipient of the National Daughters of the American Revolution Evelyn Cole Peters Award, presented at the NSDAR Continental Congress in Washington D.C. She was also the recipient of the NSDAR American Heritage 1st Place Poetry Award, for outstanding literary work of the Society, also presented at Continental Congress in Washington D.C. Under her leadership as Regent, the Mary Tyler Chapter placed their first DAR Historic Marker at the Goodman-LeGrand Home and Museum. She has proven 15 Revolutionary War Patriot ancestors and is an active member of Green Acres Baptist Church. In addition to DAR, she is a National Officer of Colonial Dames of the 17th Century of which she was the chapter President for Lousiana. Anna was also selected to be installed in June as Louisiana’s State President of the National Society of Colonial Dames. She is also a member of The Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, The Order of Founders of North America 1492-1692 Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Descendants of Stephen F. Austin’s Old Three Hundred, U.S. Daughters of 1812, The First Families of Kentucky, The Society of the Descendants of Colonial Clergy, the National and Texas Ladies Auxiliaries of the Sons of the American Revolution The Society of New England Women and United Daughters of the Confederacy. Anna has been married to Past-President of the Capt. William Barron Chapter NSSAR, District 10 Vice-President and National SAR Videographer, Stephen Lee, for 37 years. They are the parents of Capt. William Barron Chapter Past President, East Texas Color Guard Commander, and the James P Douglas Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp Commander, Matthew Lee, and Capt. William Barron Chapter 1st Vice President, Color Guard Drummer, former Capt. Samuel Mosby Society C.A.R. President, and the James P Douglas Camp Sons of Confederate Veterans, Britton Lee. They are known as “Mimi” and “Gramps” to grandsons, Mason and Hunter Lee. She is survived by a cousin, Bill Meyer; and many of loving relatives and close friends. Instead of flowers the family is requesting that a donation be made to the Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution at txssar.org

Anna Carpenter Lee

October 3, 1951 - May 7, 2017