Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Lee laid to rest with full honors

Tom Lee Jr. was known for many things. By all accounts, he was an incredible bass singer, a top-notch soldier and a friendly person. More than 60 friends and relatives gathered Saturday, March 10, to pay their final respects to Lee.

Better known as Bussy, Lee had deep roots in Nevada County. He was born Sept. 14, 1914, in the Boughton Community. He was laid to rest in the Boughton Cemetery more than 92 years later.

Perhaps one of Lees most notable achievements was his military service. He joined the Army National Guard as a rifleman on June 13, 1939. He served in the Asiatic Pacific from August of 1941 through May of 1944.

Imon Cook of Texarkana served with Lee during those early years. Soon after Cook and Lee enlisted, the two men were sent with their squadron to Tennessee for training maneuvers.

He was particular, Cook recalled, adding that the trait made Lee a good soldier. Cook said that Lee later kept excellent records because of his attention to detail.

He was a good soldier. Very good.

On the lighter side, Cook recalled another trait about Lee.

He didnt like to be woke up in the middle of the night, Cook said.

Lee remained active in the military after the war.

Pete Jester of Prescott also has first-hand knowledge of Lees military work.

I served under him, Jester said.

Jester was only 17 years old when he began his military service with Lee as his commanding officer.

When he said something, he meant it, Jester recalled. But he never raised his voice. You couldnt find a better fellow.

Lees service in the military continued until his discharge on Sept. 13, 1974. Over the years, he received a number of medals and awards, including the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal.

In 1982 the local National Guard Armory was officially named the Tom B. Lee Jr. Arkansas National Guard Armory.

Rev. Neil Ridling addressed those gathered at Lees memorial service.

He touched a lot of lives, Ridling said. Theres no way to go over every memory because everyone has their own.

And not all the lives Lee touched had to do with military training.

Cathryn Jester called Lee my idol. She said Lee had a wonderful singing voice. He had the prettiest, deepest voice I ever heard.

Willie Hooks attended school with Lee and also recalled Lees voice.

He was the best bass singer I ever heard. He could get down low.

Jester said her mother knew Lee when the two were young. She said her mom had offered another interesting fact about Lees younger days.

She said a girl would try to make a pass at him and hed go the other way, Jester recalled with a laugh.

She said Lee never married though he seemed to have many friends.

And he always knew who I was, Jester said.

That fact was repeated many times and most people said Lee could recite family linage for most people.

He knew your mom and your grandma, Jester said.

Everett Ward also claimed friendship with Lee though the two men had joined separate branches of the military.

I was Navy, he was Army.

Ward said Lees love of sports was important in his life. Ward recalled going to ball games with Bussy and his brother.

They loved to go but the loved to fuss, he said.

Ridling said the fact that Lee touched so many people in so many ways is a testament of his own life.

As I think about Mr. Bussy Lee, I think about a man who lived - and lived well - into his 90s, Ridling said.

Cathryn Jester said that throughout Lees later years, he was always tolerable. She said that whenever someone asked how he was, hed say, Tolerable baby, just tolerable.

Ive never heard anything bad about Mr. Bussy, Jester said. Never.