Dennis "Lee" Early

Dennis “Lee” Early, husband and father, humanitarian and businessman passed away Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at the age of 83. A resident of Lake Forest Park, Washington for 15 years, Lee was born November 5, 1937, in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of Catherine and Yancy DeWitt Early. He graduated from Arlington High School and attended Arlington State and Texas Christian University, majoring in business. He served in the U. S. Naval Reserve.

In 1963 Lee married the love of his life, Leah Miller, in Ft. Worth, Texas. Together, they started a family and joined the staff of the Ecumenical Institute, which later became more widely known around the world as the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA). They enjoyed living in a variety of places beginning in Rockford, Illinois, Fifth City in Chicago, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, where they shared their passions for developing local businesses and communities. Lee invested decades of his life fund-raising for the ICA and serving as one of the founding principals of LENS International, a strategic planning and leadership program for businesses and non-profit organizations.

After ending his time with the ICA in Detroit, Michigan in the late 1980s, Lee established a consulting firm called LEAssociates, where he continued facilitating and planning consultations as well as leadership training programs. Some of his clients included Lockheed Missiles and Space, Skunkworks, Mount Carmel Mercy Hospital, governmental and private organizations.

One unique component of Lee’s work with organizations consisted of requiring representatives from all levels within an organization to claim their seats at the table during the planning and decision-making process. This practice resulted in establishing greater inclusion, ownership, and operational effectiveness within the organization. During this period, the Early’s lived in San Diego, California, and Incline Village, Nevada. He and Leah retired to the Seattle area to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Lee lived a full and adventuresome life. His colleague at ICA, Karen Snyder, remembers Lee “as a man who stood tall through everything—literally and figuratively.” At 6’8” tall, Lee looked at life for all its possibilities, and wherever he found promise, whether in an idea or a person, he pursued that promise with passion and diligence. He was an avid supporter of the Seattle Seahawks and enjoyed photography, golf, travel, history, and animals, especially his dog Buddy.

Besides his wife of 57 years, Lee is survived by his daughters Diana Naramore and her husband Stephen Naramore, Laura Early, and Rebecca Early all of whom live in Seattle. His survivors also include three grandsons Joe, Jack, and George Naramore and his younger brother Jon Early, sister-in-law Audrey Early, niece Jessica Cadawallder and nephew Jonathan Early, living in or near Frisco, Texas.

The family plans to spread his ashes in his favorite places in the Pacific Northwest.

In lieu of flowers, his children have set up a GoFundMe page at the following link for their mom to help her make ends meet during this time of transition and to plan for her future: https://gofund.me/0df3b4ac