Clarence Edward Lee Family

Clarence Edward Lee, better known as "Buzz" by friends and relatives, was born in Bay City, Texas, in 1907. He lived in Bay City all of his life, with the exception of the years 1908-1919 when his dad bought and farmed on a location on Wilson Creek between Ashby and Blessing on the west side of the Colorado River.

Buzz's parents were Patilla Edward Lee and Beulah Ticia Short. His father, a native of Matagorda County, was born in 1876 on land that his father, John Lee, owned on the east bank of the Colorado River. Buzz's mother, Beulah, was born in Wise County in 1880. Her father, William Short, died when she was young and her mother, Frances Nance Scott, married second Charles Calhoun. The family moved to South Texas and Matagorda County where Beulah met and married Patilla Lee in 1904.

Buzz worked for the Federal Government in the 1930s as a tick inspector when the fever tick was still prevalent in Matagorda County. He was also a cattleman and made several trips to the Matagorda Peninsula taking the cattle to salt grass during the fall and bringing them back to the home pasture in the spring.

In later years, Buzz centered all his livelihood on rice farming and ranching with his two brothers, Clyde and Clifford Lee. He retired from rice farming in 1978, but still kept the cattle.

In July of 1981, Buzz was seriously injured when he was accidentally attacked by a sick cow. He died ninety days later on October 9, 1981. He was buried in Cedarvale Cemetery and the inscription on his tombstone reads, "His word was his bond."

Buzz married Nantie Pier and they were the parents of three children, one of whom died in infancy. The two surviving children were Laura Jean and Pier Edward Lee.

Laura Jean attended school in Bay City, Wharton, and Huntsville. She received a degree in Business Administration and a teacher's certificate from Sam Houston State University. She received her Master's Degree in Education from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Laura Jean taught school in the Corpus Christi and LaMarque school districts. She married William F. Lanigan in 1961, and they had two children, Vasser and William, Jr. They lived in Texas City where William, Sr. was a senior processing engineer for Union Carbide.

Pier Lee attended school in Bay City and Wharton. He was employed by Hamman Oil Company and Florida Transmission Company before forming his own welding and trucking company. He married Dorothy Moss in 1954 and they were the parents of two children, Debra Renee and Pier, Jr. The family resided in Markham. Pier Lee, Sr. died on February 19, 1985 and was buried at Hawley Cemetery.

Historic Matagorda County, Volume II, page 311, 1984
 

Clarence E. "Buzz" Lee

Funeral services will be held for Clarence E. "Buzz" Lee, 74, of Bay City, 2:30 p. m. Sunday at the First United Methodist Church.

Lee died October 9, 1981 at the Methodist Hospital in Houston.

Officiating at the services will be the Rev. Leroy Stanton of the First United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Nantie of Bay City; son, Pier Lee of Markham; daughter, Laura Jean Lanigan of Texas City; brother, Clifford Lee of Bay City; sister, Lois Abshier of Bay City; grandchildren, Debbie Griffith of San Marcos, Bubba Lee of Markham, Vassar and Billy Lanigan of Texas City.

Lee was a member of the First United Church, a lifetime resident of Bay City and retired rice farmer and was presently engaged in cattle ranching.

Burial will be held at Cedarvale Cemetery.

Pallbearers include Frank Harison, Travis Harrison, Percy Harrison, Floyd Holloway, Jim Stewart and Gus Franzen.

Services under the directions of Dick R. Elkins Bay City Funeral Home.

The Daily Tribune, October 10, 1981
 

Photo courtesy of Betty Crosby
 

Nantie Pier Lee

Funeral services for Nantie Pier Lee, 79, of Bay City will be held 3 p. m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church in Bay City. Burial will be at Cedarvale Cemetery. Visitation will be until 9 p. m. today and Saturday.

Mrs. Lee was born Nantie Duncan Pier April 26, 1913 in Brookshire, the fourth of six children to Vasser and Norris Pier and she died July 1, 1992 in Houston.

The Pier family moved to Bay City in 1922 where Mrs. Lee met and married Buzz Lee. They were married for over 50 years.

Mrs. Lee was a lineal descendant of early Matagorda County settlers George J. Bowie and Capt. James K. White. Her family's history is the history of this county, state and country. Some of her notable ancestors were William Bradford and John Alden of the Mayflower as well as noble governors, doctors, military officers and statesmen of our nation's early years. She was an active member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Matagorda County Historical Society, the Matagorda County Genealogical Society, Bay City Library Association and the Matagorda County Museum Board of Directors.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Laura Lee and William F. Lanigan of Texas City; a daughter-in-law, Dorothy Lee Wolfe of Markham, four grandchildren, Debra Lee Radley of El Campo, Pier E. Lee Jr. of Markham, Vasser J. Lanigan of Dallas and William F. Lanigan, Jr. of Texas City; two great-grandchildren, Amy Lee of Bay City and Cade Radley of El Campo; four sisters-in-law, Lois Abshier and Virginia Lee of Bay City, Loretta Pier of Houston and June Pier of Vancouver, Wash. and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be her nephews Jon Abshier, Jack Lee, James Pier, Norris Pier, Robert Pier and William Pier. Honorary pallbearers are James Abshier, Jimmie Hennessey, Robert Lee and Thomas Pier.

Mrs. Lee was preceded in death by her husband, C. E. "Buzz" Lee in 1981 and her son, Pier E. Lee in 1985.

Services are under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home.

Daily Tribune,  July 3, 1992
 

Laura Jean Lee Lanigan

Laura Jean (Lee) Lanigan of Texas City passed from this life on October 19, 2009. Mrs. Lanigan was the first woman elected to the school board of TCISD. She was born on December 12, 1931, to Clarence Edward "Buzz" Lee and Nantie Duncan Pier in Bay City, Texas and grew up there. Her father and uncles were rice farmers and cattle ranchers by trade, so she was familiar with farming and ranching her whole life. Later in life, she took over part of the family business in cattle ranching.

Mrs. Lanigan graduated from Bay City High School in 1949, Wharton County Junior College in 1951 and Sam Houston State Teacher's College in 1953. After graduating from Sam Houston with a BBA, she began her teaching career at Flour Bluff High School and later taught P.E. and business education at La Marque High School for 11 years where she also served as cheerleader sponsor. Mrs. Lanigan served as state president and recording secretary of the Texas Girls Recreation Association which preceded girls involvement in UIL athletic competition. She later attended the University of Colorado, Boulder and received a Master of Arts degree in education in 1963. She met her husband while teaching in La Marque and they married in the chapel at First United Methodist Church, Texas City on May 19, 1961.

Following the births of her children, Mrs. Lanigan retired from teaching to become a fulltime mother. She was very active in her children's lives but continued to pursue her own interests as well, giving her time and energies to many athletic and educational pursuits in the Texas City Area. She served as a Girl Scout Leader and as Director of the South Texas Girl Scout Council; was involved with Little League Baseball, Texas City Rebels football, Art League of the Mainland, and PTA. Mrs. Lanigan was made a lifetime member of the national PTA because of her devotion to education. She served on the Texas City Independent School District Board for 13 years and served as president of the board in 1984. With her love for teaching, she also worked as a substitute teacher in the TCISD, taught courses at College of the Mainland, and was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma (a professional teachers society) for 30 years. Mrs. Lanigan was a member of First United Methodist Church of Texas City for over 50 years.

Mrs. Lanigan was most proud of her family and family heritage. She is the descendent of the Alden, Bradford, Brewster, Mullins, and Warren families that came to America on the Mayflower as well as other early settlers of New England. Other ancestors colonized Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Maryland, including Gov. Thomas West (Lord Delaware) of Jamestown. Her ancestors later fought to win independence in the American Revolution, then migrated west to Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Eventually they migrated to Texas in the 1820's and 1830's, where they fought for Texas independence, some giving their lives at the Alamo and Goliad while others were victorious on the battlefield at San Jacinto.

Mrs. Lanigan has been very active in heritage and historical organizations for many years. She served in numerous offices for these organizations including the following: Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, San Jacinto Descendents, U.S. Daughters of 1812, Colonial Dames (Regent), and Daughters of American Colonists. Mrs. Lanigan received the Sam Houston Award from the San Jacinto Descendents for her dedicated promotion and preservation of Texas History. She served on the Board of Management of the DRT which manages the Alamo for the State of Texas. Mrs. Lanigan also served two terms as chairman of the Cradle Committee which manages the historic law office of William Pitt Ballinger in Galveston.

She is survived by her husband of 48 years, William F. "Bill" Lanigan, of Texas City; a daughter, Vasser Lanigan, of Dallas, TX; son and daughter-in-law Rev. William F. "Bill" and Katherine Lanigan of Maud, Texas; 3 grandsons: Will, Andrew, and Daniel Lanigan of Maud, Texas; sister-in-laws Dorothy Wolfe of El Campo, Texas; and Shannon Lanigan of Metairie, Louisiana; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, C.E. Lee and Nantie Pier Lee; brothers, John Knox Lee and Pier Edward Lee; and nephew, Pier E. Lee, Jr.

Visitation will be 5 - 8 p.m., Thursday, October 22, at Emken-Linton Funeral Home in Texas City. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church, Texas City on Friday, October 23, 2009 at 10am. A graveside service will be held at Cedarvale Cemetery, on Golden Avenue, in Bay City at 2:30pm. Active pallbearers will be cousins: Jack Lee, Gary Alberts, James Pier, Thomas Pier, and Andrew Pier, and grandnephew, Coy Radley. Honorary pallbearers will be cousin Jon Abshier and grandsons Will Lanigan, Andrew Lanigan, and Daniel Lanigan; and grand-nephew Cade Radley. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: either "The Cradle Fund" or the "Laura Lanigan Texas History Educational Fund" of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas address: Karen Clogston, DRT Treasurer General, 25203 Aughton Drive, Spring, TX 77389-5405; or First United Methodist Church, Texas City - 317 5th Avenue N., Texas City, Texas 77590.

Bay City Tribune, Published October 21, 2009

Pier Edward Lee, Sr

Funeral services for Pier Edward Lee Sr., 50, of Markham, will be held 2 p. m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church, Bay City, with the Rev. Joe Ramsey of Markham officiating. Burial will be in Hawley Cemetery.

Mr. Lee was born Dec. 8, 1934, in Bay City, and died Feb. 16, 1985, in Matagorda General Hospital.

He is a descendant of an early Matagorda County family. He graduated from Bay City High School in 1953 and was a member of the Methodist church.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Lee of Markham; his mother, Mrs. C. E. Lee of Bay City; a son and daughter-in-law, Pier E. and Terry Lee Jr. of Markham; a daughter, Debbie Lee Griffith of San Antonio; and a sister, Laura Lanigan of Texas City.

Pallbearers include Wayne Frieda, Willie Bohuslar Jr., Garland Kaiser, Garry Hunter, Norris Pier, Kenneth McKissick, Stanley Genzer Sr. and Stanley Genzer Jr.

Honorary pallbearers include Willie Bohuslar Sr., Bill Lanigan, Wally Hart, Boyd Nave, Frankie Harrison, Dale Warren and Doug West.

He was preceded in death by his father, C. E. “Buzz” Lee in 1981.

Services are under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home.

The Daily Tribune, February, 1985
 

Pier Edward "Bubba" Lee, Jr.

Pier Edward "Bubba" Lee, Jr., 40 of Markham passed away Wednesday, June 5, 2002 at the Matagorda General Hospital in Bay City. Bubba was born on September 25, 196l in Bay City to Pier Edward, Sr., and Dorothy Fay Moss Lee.

He was a self-employed truck driver and a carpenter in and around Bay City.

He is survived by: his daughter, Amy Marie Lee of Bay City; his mother: Dorothy Lee Wolfe of El Campo; sister and brother-n-law: Debbie and Craig Radley of El Campo; and nephews Cody, Cade, and Coy Radley. His also survived by Bambi Byrd and her daughter Courtney. He was preceded in death by his father, Pier E. Lee, Sr.; grandparents: C. E. and Nantie Lee; grandfather: J. H. Bohuslar; and step-father, Leon Wolfe.

Services were scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Bay City Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. William F Lanagan, Jr., officiating. Interment followed at Hawley Cemetery in Blessing.

Pallbearers were Craig and Cody Radley and Jim, Billy, Bobby, and Thomas Pier.

Services were under the direction of Bay City Funeral Home. A00014B2002JN09

The Bay City Tribune, Sunday, June 9, 2002
 

Markers photos courtesy of Betty Crosby

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