Thomas Lee Sr. thought he was going to spend the morning of his 78th birthday talking to a bunch of children.
Instead, his daughter drove him out to the water treatment plant on Charleigh D. Ford Jr. Drive, where a crowd of family members, colleagues and well-wishers waited to honor the nearly 30 years Lee spent serving Lowndes County.
“It would have to be (Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins) who did something like this,” he said with a laugh.
Lee served on the Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority board for nearly three decades and has been instrumental in the economic growth in western Lowndes County. Now the water treatment plant that serves the industrial park near Golden Triangle Regional Airport is named in his honor.
According to Lowndes County District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks, it is an appropriate honor. Just as Lee has been instrumental to the county’s growth, water is instrumental to industry.
“Without water, there would be no operations out here,” he said. “Without water, there is no life.”
Brooks remembered that he was the one who appointed Lee to that board many years ago.
“It has been a major challenge over the years to find Black men who would serve on boards, and be committed and be there,” Brooks said. “He’s a team player, he’s never complained.
“I listen to all the people he’s had the opportunity to meet, and I said, ‘Hell, I should have been on that board. I haven’t been on no yacht,’” he added.
Former LINK Vice President Brenda Lathan and Higgins both remembered chasing Lee down on Fridays, when he was on the way to Macon. Lee is the owner of Lee-Sykes Funeral Home, which has a location there.
“At one time, I think people thought we were having an affair,” Lathan said, “because we would meet on the side of the highway, at convenience stores, anywhere between here and Macon. …. I’d call him and he would say he was in Brooksville, and I’d say, ‘Turn around, I’ll meet you. We’ll just flash our lights when we see each other and stop, because you’ve got to sign this paperwork.’”
Higgins remembered convincing Lee once to come back when he was carrying a body to a funeral.
“We were working the (SeverCorr steel mill) deal, closing the financing, and there was one piece of paper that had to be signed that wasn’t,” Higgins said. “I called Thomas and said it was an emergency. He said he was on the way to Macon with a body in the car. I said, ‘I hate to do it, but you’ve got to turn around.’ I don’t know who that family was, but I appreciate them for having the honored guest be a little bit late. That’s the kind of dedication we’re talking about.”
On a more serious note, Higgins said Lee played a massive role in economic development efforts over the last 30 years, helping bring in $7.4 billion and 7,802 jobs.
Lee said he was proud of giving young people a reason to stay in Lowndes County.
“I can remember coming out here 20 years ago and there was nothing but people rabbit hunting,” Lee said. “That was basically it. Most of our kids were leaving to go to other places for jobs. Now you can go to East Mississippi Community College and get a job here and make a decent living and take care of your family. That’s what I’m most proud of.”
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