Ramsey County History – Winter 2019: “Remembering One of Our Community Legends – Jimmy Lee”

Remembering One of Our Community Legends – Jimmy Lee
Author: Frank M. White

Jimmy Lee was a prominent leader within St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood, St. Paul itself, and the state of Minnesota. He was well known and respected at the First National Bank Building, where he served many years as an elevator operator and, later, a greeter when elevators automated. With a smile and a hand shake, he welcomed employees as they came to work in the morning and visitors there on business during the day. He always offered a kind word and, for those who were interested, the latest in sports news. For when it came to sports, Lee was a living sports encyclopedia. The award-winning golfer and baseball player was also a sought-after sports official, thanks to his level head and “wise whistle.” And he penned his very own sports column for over a decade for the Minneapolis Spokesman and St. Paul Recorder. After his death in 1979, the community renamed the Oxford Recreation Center the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in his memory. Lee was a true gentleman, mentor, and friend who was inducted, into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame in 2013.
PDF of F. White article