Tom Lee was a family man, his friend Guy Posey said. Any man who had fathered 14 children would have to be.
Lee, 64, took very seriously his role as a father, Posey said, just as he did his work as an engineer with Advance Tank and Construction in Pell City. While working hard on the job, he worked just as hard building a home with his wife, Sherry. His family took camping trips and he spent time with his children raising cattle and chickens and engendering in them his love of the outdoors.
The family also took trips to Tennessee to help a widow with gardening and household needs.
"He has a heart to minister to other people," said Posey, a friend of more than 30 years, who spoke of Lee in the present tense. "Tom has a deep faith in God. He loves the Lord, and doesn't just talk the lifestyle. He's a natural leader at home and at work."
Lee died trying to shield one of his children from debris from the storm. "If I had to describe him in one word, it would be character," Posey said. "He is humble, and is all about giving his best."
- Read Thomas Carl Lee's obituary