Thomas Lindsey Lee, Jr. 

Published 1:21 pm Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Thomas Lindsey Lee, Jr. (Tommy) was a caring husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend who left this world on Monday, May 9, 2022, at the age of 75. A celebration of life service will be held at Fisher-Riles Funeral Home, 5000 Indiana Avenue, in Vicksburg, MS on Thursday, May 12 at 1 p.m. officiated by Rev. John Robert Ford and Rev. William Beggiani.  Visitation will also be at the funeral home the preceding night, Wednesday, May 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. Graveside services will be held following the service at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery.

Thomas Lindsey Lee, Jr. was born to Lindsey Lee, Sr. and Annetta Allen Lee on February 18, 1947, in Vicksburg, MS and graduated from St. Aloysius High School, where he was very active in sports, particularly playing football. After graduating from St. Aloysius, he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and later took graduate classes from Mississippi State University.

After college, he worked in the personnel department for seven years at Marathon-Letourneau Company. He then began his 38 year co-operative education teaching career at Hinds Community College. He loved teaching students, his fellow educators, and particularly seeing those co-operative education students start and develop their own careers and businesses so that they could become productive adults. He also taught adult night classes at Hinds.

He married his wife, Loraine Hintson Lee and they enjoyed 53 years together. They had two children, Tom Lee and Lurlinda Soignier, who he took great pride in for their successes and accomplishments. Some of his greatest joys in life were watching his children and grandchildren succeed in life, sports and family. He was President and Vice President of the Booster Club at Warren Central High School.

Tommy was a long-time member of Redwood United Methodist Church where he served as a church trustee, on the Pastor Parish Committee and in numerous other ways. He attended Sunday school and enjoyed bible studies. Three of his favorite causes included his church, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and local cancer patients.

Tommy was an avid outdoors’ man, loving sports and hunting. He loved playing and watching sports but especially when his children and grandchildren were playing. He enjoyed all types of hunting but especially deer-hunting and just spending time in the woods was special. He enjoyed traveling and seeing different areas of the United States with family and friends.

He was the director of the Vocational and Industrial Clubs of America and/or Skills U.S.A. club at Hinds Community College and served as a local, district, state and national advisor as well as a competition judge. His opening and closing parliamentary procedure teams always finished high on all levels. As such, students under his leadership won many local, state and national honors. He was selected State Co-Operative Education Teacher of the year several times, was also chosen Vocational and Industrial Director for the State of Mississippi was President of the State Skills U.S.A. and named to Who’s Who in Vocational Education. He was awarded a Lifetime Award for his service to Vocational Education.

He is survived by his wife, Loraine; son, Tom Lee (Shawn); daughter, Lurlinda Soignier (Sammy); sister, Lynda Puckett (Phillip); 5 grandchildren, Robyn Soignier Giachelli (Jarrett), Tyler Soignier (Carlee), Jordan Lee, John Ryan Soignier, Colt Lee and a great-granddaughter, Annalise Giachelli. He is also survived by two nieces, a nephew, cousins, family and friends.

Pallbearers are his grandsons, Tyler Soignier, John Ryan Soignier, Colt Lee, J.T. Giachelli and also Shane Martin and Cliff Dew.

Honorary pallbearers are all those who worshipped with, taught with and loved Tommy.

Memorials may be sent to Redwood United Methodist Church, 447 Redwood Road, Redwood, MS or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl, Memphis, TN 38105.