Jan Goss Lee

He spent his early years in Oklahoma with his parents Fuschia Goss and Clyde Lee.  He loved his grandparents, Charlotte and Roy Goss and spent much of his time with them.  He was an only child, so his childhood memories of his cousins, and neighborhood friends were much treasured.

The family moved to Denver when he was in high school. He met Verna Banister and they were married in 1953 in Raton, New Mexico.

Jan had many jobs in his life! As a boy he raised chickens to sell and worked on the family farm.  At various times he did truck driving, insurance sales, trenching business, import car sales, oil rig work (in Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Louisiana), and many others.

But his best talents were with anything to do with cars or engines.  He was a fantastic sales rep for Engine Rebuilders Company and 4-Star Engines and Parts.  He loved the traveling, and he understood cars and their parts inside and out. What made him a great salesman was not only his intensive knowledge of autos, but his ability to be a friend to every customer.  Jokes.  Jokes. And more jokes.  He could make everyone laugh or roll eyes and sigh. Every customer was ‘his friend’.

He LOVED car racing. He participated in hill climb racing, drag racing, dirt track open wheel racing (sprint cars), asphalt open wheel racing (midget cars) and every stop light on any street was an opportunity for him to race.

He was also an avid bowler. Bowling in leagues from the time he was a young man, all the way to being a senior coach and teacher as well as becoming an expert custom bowling ball specialist.

He LOVED to eat.  Eating out was the jewel of every day, right up to the end! He measured his quality of life by the quality of his food. Teasing was his forte…  oh pity the poor waitresses at a ‘new restaurant’!  But once he was a ‘regular’, they all loved him and would treat him like royalty.

He was always willing to help family and neighbors with any need, or to play a practical joke on them. He loved his family…  and was most disappointed when we all couldn’t be together.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Verna Lee. He is survived by his two children, Kim McKee, and Dal B. Lee, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.