Michael Lee

Michael Patrick Lee, 40, of Great Falls, died of sepsis Thursday, Dec. 20, at a local hospital.A celebration of his life is 7 p.m. Thursday at the Heritage Inn, 1700 Fox Farm Rd., Great Falls. Funeral services are 2 p.m. Friday at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 201 44th St. S., Great Falls, with burial to follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Mike was born in Conrad on Oct. 19, 1972, to Margaret Ann (Dutro) Lee and John (Jack) Lee. He attended school in Conrad until third grade when he moved to Missoula. He graduated from Loyola Sacred Heart in 1991. He attended Carroll College in Helena and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. Mike worked for American Gem Assoc. in Helena until he moved to Winston Salem, N.C., to be with his girlfriend, Kendra Thomas, while she got her degree in physical therapy. During that time he worked for BE Aerospace. In 2000, he and Kendra moved back to Great Falls. He worked for Three Rivers Telephone Co-op as a controller until his passing.He married the love of his life, Kendra Michelle (Thomas) Lee, on July 7, 2001. They have two beautiful boys, Teagan Thomas Lee (8) and Treyton Michael Lee (5). Mike was extremely passionate about his boys, wife, family and friends. They all came first in his life. He felt that by putting all his efforts with them, everything else would fall into place. He was right. He was the rare kind of person that when you met him, he walked right into your heart and stayed there. You knew you had a friend for life.He enjoyed playing golf, camping, fishing and hunting. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching games with his family and friends, cheering on the Michigan Wolverines, Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and the University of Montana Grizzlies.He lived the rest of his life passionately as well. He would drop everything to lend a hand to everyone. The sparkle in his blue eyes, his beautiful smile, amazing sense of humor and big heart for everyone will be forever missed. We love you Mike!He is survived by his wife, Kendra (Thomas) Lee; sons Teagan Lee and Treyton Lee; his mother, Margaret Ann Lee, Florence; brother Jack Lee, Klamath Falls, Ore.; sisters Vickie Lopes of Concord, Calif., Katie Missik of Conrad and Tricia (Joel) Stokes of Chester; mother and father-in-law Mike and Carol Thomas, Great Falls; brother-in-law Troy Thomas, Great Falls; his uncle Don (Mary) Dutro, Great Falls; aunts Jeannie (David) Ritchie of La Jolla, Calif., and Terry Dutro of Bozeman; nephews Johnathon Stokes, Timothy Stokes, Mathew Missik, Logan Lee and Tucker Thomas; nieces Taylor Lopes, McKenzie Lopes, Hannah Lee, Hadley Thomas, Hanna Dutro and Sarah Dutro. He has numerous cousins, and, of course, always considered his multitude of friends part of his family.He was preceded in death by his father, Jack Lee; stepfather Bob Lee; and grandparents Vaughn and Bernice Dutro.In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family has asked for contributions to a scholarship fund for Mike's boys. Please send them in care of Kendra Lee, 3003 3rd Ave. N., Great Falls, MT 59401.Condolences may be posted online atwww.schniderfuneralhome.com