Melvin Lewis Lee

AUGUST 28, 1926 - JULY 4, 2017

Melvin was born in Oklahoma City to Gwendolen and Ernest Lee. He had two brothers. Robert, the oldest and Donald, the youngest. Robert was killed in WWII on the Battle of the Bulge. Donald lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Pamela.

The most influential person was his mother. She raised 3 boys by working in the home as a seamstress and cleaning houses only if she could take her youngest along. She always had the boys in Church on Sundays and most Wednesday nights. She never complained

He became interested in music while in the 8th grade at Harding Jr. High where the Oklahoma City Symphony played a concert. He decided then that is what he wanted to do in life. Mel started playing the French Horn and dedicated his life to that goal. Due to shortage of musicians, after Pearl Harbor, he was given the opportunity to play in the Oklahoma City Symphony, while still in high school at Classen High. His salary was $25.00 per rehearsal and performances.

In 1944, after graduation from high school, he joined the Naval Air Corps and in 1945 was ordered to the Philippines. After his discharge, he enrolled at Oklahoma City University and received his degree in music in 1949. Mel took his first teaching job at Jackson Junior High. Around that time, he received his Masters Degree from the University of Michigan.

In 1953, he married Sue Parkinson. They were married for 23 years. They had two children, James and Lori. Sue passed away in 1976.

In 1954, Mel took the band directors job at Capital Hill High School. He taught there until the fall of 1964. Mel was hired by the University of Central Oklahoma as director of bands. He also taught Music Theory, Conducting, Music Education and several other courses. Mel taught at UCO until retirement in 2000.

In 1969, Mel received his Doctorate of Music from the University of Oklahoma. He has performed with the Amarillo, Enid and Lawton Symphonies.

He spent 10 years playing with the Lyric Theater, 23 years with the Oklahoma City Symphony and several other Community Orchestras. Mel also thoroughly enjoyed judging music contests.

Honors include: Inducted into the Oklahoma Bandmasters Hall of Fame, Honorary member of Phi Beta Mu-(International School Bandmaster Fraternity), Former secretary of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American School Band Directors Association and the International Horn Society.

On August 6, 1980, he married JoAnn Fulton Marrs. JoAnn had two daughers from a previous marriage, Beth Reagan and Dana Myers. Mel loved them as if they were his own and they loved him deeply.

Mel was a man of deep faith. He loved the Lord, his family, reading the Bible and Metropolitan Baptist Church where he started the church orchestra and played every Sunday as long as his health allowed.

Mel will truly be missed.

Survivors include:

Wife, JoAnn Lee; Son, James Lee (Fin) of Thailand; Daughter Lori (Craig) of Southlake, TX; Grandchildren Addie, Carson, Brady, Davis and Sasha; Brother, Donald and Pamela Lee (Emma) of Oklahoma City; Step-daughters , Beth Reagan (Mike) of Allen, TX, Dana Myers (Mike), of Arlington, TX and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

The Melvin Lee Endowed Scholarship for Music Education.

To donate: checks should be made to: the UCO Foundation. "Mel Lee scholarship" in reference line.

Or donations may be made to Metropolitan Baptist Church, Oklahoma City.

Arrangements under the direction of Chapel Hill Funeral Home, Oklahoma City, OK.