June Janet Marie Lee

June (Janet) Marie Lee passed away at the St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa on March 25, 2019, after a short illness. Janet was the only child of Elmer Barfield and Helen Morscher Barfield of Cleveland Ohio. Janet was born June 7, 1925, in the Shaker Heights district of Cleveland and was 93 years old at the time of her death.

Janet married Albert Sidney Lee Jr. in 1944 while Sidney was stationed in Cleveland during World War II where they worked together on a military base. After the war, Janet and Sidney moved to Oklahoma, Sidney’s native state, where they had seven children during their long marriage.

Janet was well-known in the Tulsa area for designing and making bird nest-themed gift items during the 1970’s, which were sold exclusively in Tulsa at Miss Jackson’s of Utica Square. Janet and her family, along with a few employees, hand-crafted the gift items which were sold all across the United States in many fine shops.

Later, Janet worked at the Ponca City Public Library for many years as a reference librarian. Janet worked at the library well into her 80’s and only “retired” when she decided to live with her children who were in different parts of the country. Janet traveled the country for several years, staying with her various children for months at a time until she required nursing home care about four years ago.

Janet was also very involved in the Catholic parishes where she was living, often reading scripture at masses.

Janet was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Sidney, son Mark Byrd Lee and daughter Anne Marie Lechtenberg. Surviving Janet are her son, John Franklin Lee of San Antonio, Mary Beth Fortman of Tucson, James C. Lee of Tulsa, Therese Marie Maschmann of Dallas and Margaret Mary Sewell of Tulsa. Janet has 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.