Beulah "Bea" Brumbaugh Lee

Bea was born in Lincoln County, Kansas on September 4, 1930, to Harry and Julia Brumbaugh as the 9th of sixteen children. Bea grew up on a farm in Kansas with her parents, siblings, and her favorite Uncle Nick, where she tended the animals, rode horses, and worked the fields growing several different vegetables. Bea liked to say that she was “Organic before organic was cool”. She graduated from Ada High School before moving to Wichita, KS to be with her sister, Doris, where she put herself through business school. In 1954, she moved to Tulsa, OK where she worked for the City of Tulsa before she became a stenographer for McDonald Douglas Aircraft.

It was in Tulsa that she met the love of her life, Al Lee, who was working temporarily in Tulsa from his Texas Instruments headquarters in Dallas, TX. They were married on October 29, 1960, at St Francis Xavier Church in Tulsa, OK. The young couple lived in Germany for over a year for Al’s job before settling down in Dallas, TX, to welcome their first daughter, Karen, in 1962, followed by Shari, in 1965.

Bea and Al moved to Houston, TX in 1967 and remained there until 1986, when they moved back to the Dallas area. While in Houston, Bea kept busy as a Vanda Beauty Counselor, volunteering as a school room mom, girl scout “cookie mom”, member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, bowling as a member of the Turn Verein Club. Once they were empty nesters, she continued her bowling, often attending out of town tournaments, and became a sales representative for Wrigley’s Gum and Robitussin. Once they moved back to Dallas and upon retirement, Bea volunteered at the Medical Center of Plano and received her “3500 Volunteer Hours” award. Following Al’s death, on their 56th Wedding Anniversary, Bea moved to Lakeway, TX to be closer to her daughter Karen’s family.

Bea was an excellent cook and even better baker. She loved making Chocolate Chip Cookies for her grandchildren and Pecan and Apple pies for the Holidays. Bea never met a stranger, was a second mom to the neighborhood and made lifelong friends in every city she lived and visited, many who became “family”. Bea was kind, generous, and thoughtful while being equally tough, courageous, and independent. She was very much a trendsetter of her generation.

Bea was predeceased by her husband, Al; her parents, Harry and Julia Brumbaugh; thirteen siblings and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughters, Karen (Gary) and Shari (Mitch); grandchildren, Jason, Ryan (Lindsey) and Rachel; one great-granddaughter, Rowan, her sisters, Lila and Ruth, as well as many treasured nieces, nephews and friends turned family. She will also be missed by the wonderful staff and residents at Arbor Terrace Assisted Living, who lovingly cared for her during her last years.

A Celebration of Bea’s Life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 1:00 pm in the Chapel at St Jude’s Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville Avenue, Allen, TX 75002, followed by a brief reception.

Please, in lieu of flowers, we would ask that you spend time with your loved ones, especially the elderly, volunteer at an Assisted Living home, or perform a random act of kindness in her name.