Vincent Michael Lee ~ 1957 - 2023
Submitted by paula on Thu, 06/29/2023 - 6:03pm
Vincent Michael Lee passed away at the age of 65 on June 26, 2023, after suffering a traumatic head injury from a fall. A memorial service will be held for him at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at St. Theresa’s church in South Lake Tahoe, California.
Vince is survived by his wife of 43 years, Beth Easterling-Lee; daughters, Katie Lee and Kristina Lee; son, Matthew Lee; grandsons, Landon Lee and Jayden Lee-Vansteyn; parents, David Lee and Janet Lee; sister, Laura Lee (Jeff); brothers, Tony Lee (Jill) and Tim LeeWays (Martha); and nieces, nephews, and a grand-niece and nephew. He was preceded in death by his eldest son Michael Lee, his brother and best friend Channing Lee, and his nephew Pete LeeWays.
Vince was born in Napa, California on September 30, 1957. Vince was the rabble-rouser second-born of five children, leading the others in pranks in their youth and even devising his own language to speak in secret with his siblings. He attended Mount George and Vintage High School in Napa before leaving home to attend UC Davis in Davis, California. At UC Davis Vince obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics and met the love of his life, Mary (Beth) Elizabeth Easterling. Vince and Beth married on August 16, 1980, in Vallejo, Calif. where the two would buy their first home, establish a construction company, build their second home, and bring four children into the world.
In the summer of 2000, Vince and his family relocated to South Lake Tahoe where the family had long enjoyed their vacation home with winter ski trips and summer vacations. Over these last decades in South Lake Tahoe, Vince worked with his wife to build a second business from the ground up, continually remodeled what has become a dream family home in Christmas Valley, watched his children grow into adults, and enjoyed the birth of two grandchildren with whom he developed a beautiful bond.
Sharp as a tack with humor as dry as the Sahara, Vince was a firecracker to all who knew him. He was a brilliant man who trained countless tradesmen to the journeymen level and had endless hobbies. Vince enjoyed all forms of physical activity, particularly bicycling; tending tropical fish; reading and learning; fishing; horticulture; traveling; barbequing; flying drones; snoozing with his dog; designing and building; spending time with his family near and far; and yanking the chain of those around him to engender a chuckle. Vince was enamored with music. He enjoyed listening and loved playing music including the piano, saxophone, and guitar. Vince was also an adventurer. From abalone diving and studying toward a pilot license in his younger days to traveling across the U.S. and Europe, Vince enjoyed the thrill of new experiences, even trying unusual foods like terrible-flavored gag jellybeans or salt and vinegar-flavored crickets for the kick of it; alas, he never did get to that can of pickled alligator his daughter bought for him.
Vince took tremendous pride in watching his son Matthew transition into managing the family business, witnessing his daughters Katie and Kristina achieve their educational goals, and spending time with his grandchildren, Landon and Jayden. Vince lived a full life with unparalleled experiences before leaving our world surrounded by family.
St. Theresa's Church is located at 1041 Lyons Ave, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.