David Ellis Lee

David Ellis Lee of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a leading high-tech consultant whose passion for life was matched only by his loyalty to his family and friends, died suddenly on August 15 at his home. He was 64.

At TechCaliber Consulting, a premier technology partner to Fortune 500 companies, David served as technology director. By virtue of his technical aptitude in an ever-changing industry, commitment to client satisfaction, and near-photographic memory, he forged a reputation as an international leader in his field. Large IT suppliers grew to fear his product know-how and relentlessness when he intervened on behalf of clients to ensure adherence to service-level agreements.

David met the love of his life, Janine Francolini, on a plane flying from Frankfurt, Germany, to New York. He arranged a beach picnic for their first date. They were married on April 13, 1996, in Westhampton, New York, with longtime college friend Janet Riley serving as best man. David and Janine’s son, Ellis, was born in 2000 and named for David’s father, Ellis Gaines Lee.

David built and maintained a wide circle of friends dating from his childhood and college days. Those close to him deeply appreciated his zest for life, sincerity, sense of humor, humility, spontaneity, and big-hearted and caring manner. David was always up for a good time or adventure, and he grew to love many of the finer things in life, including international travel, thick steaks, and expensive wine.

In addition to Janine and Ellis, David is survived by his sister, Gina, and her husband, Kevin King; in-laws Rick and Joan Francolini and Karen Connell; and eight nieces and nephews: Adam, Anna, Claire, Matthew, Nolan, Quinn, Rene, and Tara.

David was born on February 2, 1961, to the late Ellis and Florence (Schena) Lee. “When David was about 18 months old, our maternal grandfather told our mother, ‘He’s really going to be something,’” Gina recalled. “Our Nono was prescient, but he did not yet know that David would also be a wonderful brother and a good son.”

He grew up in Rhode Island and enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, and playing pranks on unsuspecting friends. David graduated from Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, where he excelled academically and was a member of the crew team.

He truly blossomed at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. David enrolled with the intent of pursuing premed studies but switched to electrical and electronics engineering (computer science), a discipline where he distinguished himself and was inducted into the Eta Kappa Nu honor society. He worked as an intern with IBM in Vermont. David was a popular member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and earned the nickname “Grubber” for his fierce determination to succeed in everything he did. He ranked first in his Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) class and was named a Distinguished Midshipman in each of the six academic quarters that he was part of the program.

Upon graduation from Northwestern in 1984, he was recruited to join Booz Allen Hamilton as an associate in Washington, D.C. He later worked as international marketing manager at California Microwave and senior manager at Deloitte Consulting before finding his longtime professional home at TechCaliber. He worked there for nearly 23 years.

“He’s not replaceable,” said colleague and friend Larry York, a managing director at TechCaliber. “At some point, we’ll have another technical director, but there is not another David Lee out there.”

At Ellis’ urging, David re-embraced his Catholic roots in recent years. Although he had already been confirmed himself, Ellis attended classes with David and served as his father’s confirmation sponsor at Mary, Mother of Light Maronite Catholic Church last year. David was active with the Knights of Columbus Santa Maria Council in Palm Beach Gardens, serving as secretary, and was deeply involved with the Kairos Prison Ministry. His work with the men who were incarcerated was one of the most meaningful experiences of his life. Providing spiritual support to individuals and their families was life-changing for him.

“David was a very gentle person,” said David Tabony, a fellow member of the Knights of Columbus. “He was very loving and very caring.”

Private services for family and friends will be held in Florida and New York. Burial will be at the cemetery at Lee’s Freewill Baptist Church in Waynesboro, Mississippi, where many of David’s relatives are buried.

In lieu of flowers, David’s family asks that donations be made to Catholic Charities of Palm Beach County’s “Prison Ministry.”