Patsy Lee
After Patsy and Don Lee’s youngest daughter, Melinda, was killed by a drunk driver in 1994, Patsy mourned daily for the beautiful college student, just beginning her life at Texas Tech. Patsy could have wallowed in her grief or become embittered at the crime and criminal who robbed her of her loved one. Instead, the dedicated stay-at-home mom and former Girl Scout leader turned her focus to volunteering, then fundraising, then speaking on behalf of M.A.D.D. – Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Thousands heard her message that drunk driving deaths are not just tragic – they are preventable.
Patsy died last week after suffering a stroke in her Lake Highlands home. You may read more in her obituary here.
If you don’t know Patsy’s name, Melinda Ann Lee likely rings a bell. Forty-nine Lake Highlands High School graduates have received college scholarships thanks to the Melinda Ann Lee Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund administered annually by the Exchange Club of Lake Highlands where Don is a longtime member. Recipients pledge not to drink and drive, and – in addition to much needed funds – they receive a boost of confidence knowing the Lee family, the Exchange Club and the Lake Highlands community is rooting for their success.
Patsy’s legacy is lasting. Three scholarship winners will head off to Tech in the fall, and more will be selected next May and in the years to come. If you’d like to lend your support, you may send a check to the Melinda Ann Lee Scholarship Fund, Texas Tech Foundation, P.O. Box 41081, Lubbock, TX 79409.
Melinda Ann Lee
