Harry Dakota Lee

To Harry Dakota Lee, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Harry, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Harry really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

      Harry was born on December 8, 1950 at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. His parents were Argelia and Dakota Lee. Harry was raised in All over the state of Florida including the Florida Keys. Even as a child, Harry had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He could not’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

      Always a good playmate, Harry was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Harry managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Harry was raised with three siblings. He had his brother Gary Lee, his brother Barry Lee (deceased) and sister Judy Lee (deceased).

      All of Harry's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Harry experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in baseball all through school. In his spare time he liked to go camping with his brothers and cousins. Harry's memorable achievements included.

      Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Harry was a class “cut-up.” He did not’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Harry simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Harry, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Harry's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Harry graduated from Marathon High School in 1969. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

      Harry reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Harry was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for Harry, life was not a case of all play and no work. Harry relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. He graduated from Carpenter Trade School in 1973.

      Harry never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Harry to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Harry delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Harry was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Harry utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were his brothers and cousins. Later in life, he became friends with Rose and Steve Bickford, his children and children's spouses. Harry was friends with everybody. Harry loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

      The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Harry very easy to approach. On November 18, 1972 Harry exchanged wedding vows with Karen Nixt at Melrose Park United Methodist Church of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

      Perhaps the reason Harry related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Harry was blessed with three children, daughter Jennifer Dawn, son Aaron Dakota and daughter Amy Louise. They were also blessed with 8 grandchildren, Alicia, Austin, Brianne, Cody, Danielle, Calyn, Lily and Mathew. Harry had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Harry's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Harry had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

      At work, as in life, Harry was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Harry liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Harry was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Harry's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Harry as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was Project Superintendent. He was employed for 42 years carpentry and 26 years James A Cummings.

      Harry enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Harry liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were playing the guitar. His brother Gary Lee bought him his first guitar. Collecting pennies, guns but most of all he loved to go fishing! Harry was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

      Harry felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he was not’t the best, Harry loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Harry relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Harry never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Harry played baseball. Recreational sports included bowled and played golf sometimes but mostly fishing! Harry was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, Nascar, Golf, Hockey.

      A generous person who often wore his heart on his sleeve, Harry often found himself involved in activities he deemed important. He was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made him a natural volunteer. Outspoken in his beliefs, yet tactful in his dealings with others, Harry was a member of several community groups, served as Little League Coach, he loved the children.

      Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Harry recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of the Union Carpenter for 41 years.

      Living life in the fast lane suited Harry just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included the Florida Keys.

      Harry was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Harry's favorites was Shasta a mixed breed. They were best friends for 12 years.

      Harry believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in Never had a chance, Harry took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Harry remained busy with people and projects. Even in retirement, Harry continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

      Harry passed away on November 10, 2014 at Broward Health Center. He is survived by his wife Karen, daughters Jennifer and Amy, son Aaron, brother Gary, mother Argelia and his eight grandchildren. Services were held at Forest Lawn Funeral Home South in Davie, Florida.

      Harry brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Harry Dakota Lee lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

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Harry D. Lee passed away November 10, 2014 with his wife Karen, daughters, Jennifer Fields & Amy Roberts, son Aaron Lee, son-in-laws, Jacob Fields and Brian Roberts and daughter-in-law Angie Lee by his side. He is survived by his brother, Gary Lee and mother Argelia Dotson. Harry was a devoted grandpa to his eight grandchildren-Alicia, Austin, Brianne, Danielle, Cody, Calyn, Lily & Mathew. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, sister in-law & brother in-law. He is preceded in death by his brother Barry Lee and sister Judy Lee.

Harry was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated Marathon High School in 1969 and graduated from construction trade school in 1973. He worked his way up from a construction worker to a project superintendent joining the company of James A. Cummings in 1986.

A beloved husband and father, Harry took joy in being with his children and being a little league coach for many years. He was a self-taught guitar player who never let a day go by without a song to be sung. Harry loved fishing of any kind, loved camping and enjoyed all sports. With his sense of humor and twinkle in his eye, you knew this was a good man.

Celebration of life to be held December 6, 2014 at 11 AM at Forest Lawn South in Davie.