Intro -- My Name is Lee

My name is Lee. I am female. That name has caused some confusion, but I hope that if you were to see me that you could tell, even though I am relatively tall and have small boobs.

I was born in 1951 (in other words I will soon be 59.)in DuPage County, Illinois, the oldest of three children. When I was older my parents told me that I have they had determined to name me Lee regardless of my gender. Had I been a boy I would have been Lee Daniel, but since the doctor didn’t see a penis when he pulled me out, they named me Lee Ann. [My mother had an aunt named Ann whom she adored greatly. My paternal grandfather was named Daniel. My brother Lowell ended up with the Daniel.]

Being named Lee Ann instead of Leann or Leanne has sometimes caused confusion and had led me to get on some interesting mailing lists sometimes, especially from people who insist on organizing contact information as First Name -- Middle initial – last name.

I think I have surprised a few job interviewers when they have just see “Lee A” on my CV.

My father immediately gave me the pet name of “Leelee,” but my mother has used the simpler “Lee.” One of my good childhood friends called me “Lee-girl” because we were about second grade and there was a boy in our class named Lee and she called him “Lee-boy.” We were seven years old and I guess that makes sense, but she is still my friend and she still uses it and has spread its use to others. Some others from my childhood days still use it too.

I picked bad husbands twice, but I have picked up some good relatives in the process. I remain in good contact with my stepdaughter from my first marriage and her children who call me “Grandma Lee” and with my brother-in-law and his daughters from my second. The daughters are grown and gone now but we stay in contact and they call me “Aunt.”) Until her death I considered his wife one of the best friends that I had acquired in adulthood.

Additionally, since I have been married twice and divorced twice, I have come by a variety of legal names and I have picked up different nicknames. My stepdaughter from my first marriage calls me “GG,” short for something that her father used, and her kids call me ‘Grandma G.” My nieces from my second marriage and their kids call me “Aunt Lee.” My brothers’ kids do the same. A woman I worked with used to call me “Shorty” because I am 5’10” and she likes the irony. I guess that I am used to answering to a lot of things.

I have spent my adult life in Wisconsin (mainly around Madison) and Minnesota. My principal residence now is in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, in a house my second husband and I bought when we were together. However, since I have been working in the private sector for “Devfabricators” in east central Minnesota, for the last few years (and probably will continue doing so for a few months more) I have rented a cabin in Wisconsin near that job and stay there most weeknights. Members of my extended family are living in my house and taking care of it and I usually am there on weekends.

I have been a consultant and a teacher, usually for one of the several colleges and universities in our area. I have two masters’ degrees but no doctorate and I have never been on a tenure track any place. I guess I just have not been ambitious enough.

We bought our house because my husband’s brother and family lived across the street and the sleaze was having one of his rare periods when he seemed to want us to think that family meant something to him. His brother and sister-in-law were wonderful people and we remained close even after the sleaze was gone. Unfortunately, his brother’s wife died a few years ago. She was one really good woman. Their daughters were teenagers then and they are still close to my heart. And my brother-in-law is a good neighbor.