John "Roger" Lee passed away peacefully with his loving wife of over 56 years, Kathleen, by his side at the University of Maryland Baltimore Hospital on January 28, 2025. John Roger Lee was born July 21, 1946, to William P. and Suzanne Lee in Kansas City, Missouri.  He was raised in Chicago, Illinois.  He was attending the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, when he met the love of his life, Kathleen, in 1967. They were both college students.  Roger and his roommates were holding a big party. Kathy was in a sorority that had been invited. They met and fell in love; the rest of their history is over 57 years together. They were married September 27. 1968. Roger and Kathy both graduated from college. While pursuing graduate studies at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, Roger was drafted into the Army. He was assigned to the old Fort Holabird in Baltimore.  Both Roger and Kathy fell in love with Maryland and stayed. He earned a Master's degree from Johns Hopkins University and went to the University of Maryland to work on a Doctorate.  He was offered a job at the State of Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation in Baltimore County and worked there for 35 years. He retired as the Supervisor of the Baltimore County office.  Roger and Kathy built their dream home in north Baltimore County in 1979 on ten acres. Here, Roger built a barn, numerous sheds, and many decks. He loved gardening and loved raising chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, and Guinea fowl. He was very proud of his vast John Deere tractor. When not working or farming, Roger loved going out on various sailboats and motorboats to explore the Chesapeake Bay. After retirement, Roger and Kathy bought a Victorian Queen Anne historic home in historic Havre de Grace. The house had been turned into four apartments, and Roger loved turning it back into a single-family home and restoring it. He was a skilled carpenter and restorer. He also continued boating, exploring the lower Susquehanna River and the Upper Chesapeake Bay. He was the loving father of Stephanie Anne Lee and brother of Gary Lee, Anthony "Tony" Lee, and "Little sister " Sidonie Lee.
Roger was a Founding Board Member of the Historic Havre de Grace Foundation, the Havre de Grace Historic Preservation Commission, the Havre de Grace Green Team, and the Joseph L Davis American Legion Post 47. He was an active member of these organizations. Roger enjoyed working on a heavily wooded old-growth property he rescued north of Elkton, Maryland. He enjoyed making trails and clearing underbrush.
A Celebration of Roger's Life will be held on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 1:00 PM, at Zellman Funeral Home, P.A., 927 Pulaski Highway, Havre de Grace, MD. The Celebration will be live-streamed via Facebook @ ZellmanFuneralHomeP.A. and viewed via Roger's  Tribute Page via the funeral home website. Click Photos/Video, and click View Webcast.
Online condolences may be made at www.zellmanfuneralhome.com