Joe Lee

Heaven has gained a sweet soul that we call a husband, a daddy, a pawpaw, and a best buddy.  Joe R Lee reached out and trustingly took the hand of Jesus on Sunday October 4th, 2020.  His beautiful wife of 38 years, Judy Lee was right by his side when God called him home.  Joe was born in Yazoo City on January 14th, 1951 to Jack and Vergie Lee of Clem, Mississippi.  To know Joe was to love him.  He made a mark wherever he went, and acquired many friends with wonderful memories along the way.  He was a modern day cowboy that loved horses and teaching people all about riding horses.  He was always willing and ready to take up with the younger generations and pass on his knowledge of horses.  Everyone that has had the pleasure of riding with Joe Lee has some type of tall tale to tell and a fortunate/unfortunate few of you have even had the Joe Lee shortcut experience!  To us and many of you, He was legendary!  Our sweet Joe also had a soft and gentle side when it came to his family.  He was a great husband and best friend to Judy.  She will miss him, but will forever retain and cherish the memories of all their adventures together.  Joe held a Class A CDL and was a proud truck driver for many years.  He and Judy had a sense of adventure and in 1985 they up and moved to Tangipahoa Parish, LA to open a windshield business.  Later they moved back to MS to build and open three coin laundrys.  That same sense of adventure led them to the beautiful Ozark Mountains to enjoy some horseback riding.  Joe used to say to Judy, “so many people just talk about it, WE DID IT”!  Although he was a daddy and a pawpaw, he made sure to develop those best friend type relationships with his children and grandchildren!  Every day with our daddy and our pawpaw was a wild west adventure!  Oh how he loved to whip out Pap Man’s checkerboard that was made out of a bushel basket, and have a “challenger” sit down to play with “Joe the Checker King”!!  He will be so missed by all of us.  God has reminded us that our sadness may be great, but His love is always greater. He is preceded in death by his Father, Jack P. Lee and brother Tommy Lee.  He is survived by his mother Vergie C. Lee, his wife Judy S. Lee, his son Joe E. Blackmon (Sheila), his daughter Jaclyn Lee Rogers (Bernie), his daughter Nikki Lee Hallman (Mitch), 5 grandchildren; Cheyan Smith, Dakota Smith, Laken Smith, Madlyn Rogers, and Caroline Rogers.

 Graveside Service will be 4:00 PM Monday, October 12, 2020 in Mt Olive, Mississippi with interment following at their family cemetery. Visitation will be 2-4 PM before the service begins. Services by Smith Family Funeral Home of Green Forest, AR.

On line condolences may be made at www.smithfamilyfunealhome.net

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