Harry F. Lee Memorial Scholarship

Harry Fitzhugh Lee grew up in the Grand Junction, Colorado, area where he was known affectionately by family and friends as “Willie.” He attended Mesa College and continued his education at the University of Northern Colorado where he earned three education degrees. Although a college education was difficult financially for his family, his parents were so proud of Harry when he completed his doctorate at UNC in 1972, and they were able to attend his graduation. Dr. Lee’s early teaching experiences included elementary and middle school teaching in Nebraska and Colorado. While in graduate school, Harry met his future wife, Joy Russell, and they married in 1968. They moved to Billings, Montana, in 1970 where Harry joined the faculty of Eastern Montana College (now MSU Billings). At MSU Billings, Dr. Lee worked primarily with student teachers but also taught curriculum classes. He loved working with college students and was known as a person who was willing to help whenever he could. After he retired in 1999, former students would often recognize him around Billings and would comment how he helped them get through the hurdles of getting a college degree. Dr. Lee loved to hunt and fish and was an avid Denver Broncos fan. He and Joy enjoyed traveling and spending time with their two sons and seven grandchildren. Education was always a top priority with Dr. Lee. He was very pleased that both his sons attended college and one is a school principal. Two of his grandchildren are in college now and he realized that college expenses can be very difficult for families to handle. Dr. Lee passed away at the age of 78 on August 21, 2015, after complications from surgery. In memory of Dr. Lee and his passion for education, family and friends established the Harry F. Lee Memorial Scholarship at MSU Billings in 2016. Dr. Lee would be very proud to know that an education major at MSU Billings is now being helped through the generous donations of friends to the scholarship in his name. The first scholarship was awarded in academic year 2016-2017.