Tom K. Lee (February 14, 1920 – June 4, 1986) was an American Navajo politician in the state of New Mexico.[1]
Born at China Springs near Gallup in McKinley County, New Mexico,[2] Lee lived in the Twin Lakes, New Mexico area where he owned and operated a trading post.[3][1] He served with the United States Army in the Pacific Theatre of World War II and was a survivor of the Bataan Death March.[3] The first Native American elected to the New Mexico Senate, Lee served as a Republican in for the district from 1967 to 1978.[4] Initially approached in 1966 to run as a Democrat in the absence of a candidate, Lee opted to run as a Republican instead, and went on to serve three terms in the state senate.[3] He later served on the Navajo Nation Council from 1978 to 1982 and as president of the Twin Lakes Navajo Chapter House.[2][5]
Lee was married to Emma Rose Lee, an artist who designed/sewed one of the first Navajo Nation flags. They had six children and lived at Twin Lakes.[6][7] A son, Clarence and grandson, Russell were both later noted artists and silversmiths.[8] Lee died at a hospital in Albuquerque in 1986 at the age of 66.[9] Following his funeral, he was buried at Sunset Memorial Park in Gallup.[2]
References
- ^ a b Waugh, Jack (April 29, 1972). "It's Been A Big Year Already In Indian Politics". The Deseret News. p. 4. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Obituaries". The Santa Fe New Mexican. June 9, 1986. p. 5. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
- ^ "The Extraordinary Book of Native American Lists - Arlene B. Hirschfelder, Paulette Fairbanks Molin - Google Books". Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ "LEE: 1st Navajo Senator". The Santa Fe New Mexican. June 9, 1986. p. A9. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ "Silversmith & Lapidary Biographies: Clarence Lee".
- ^ "» Clarence and Russell Lee".
- ^ "1st Navajo NM senator dies at 66". The Santa Fe New Mexican. June 9, 1986. p. A1. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
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