J. Bracken Lee
| J. Bracken Lee | |
|---|---|
J. Bracken Lee in the Governor's office on January 7, 1949
|
|
| 9th Governor of Utah | |
|
In office January 3, 1949 – January 7, 1957 |
|
| Preceded by | Herbert B. Maw |
| Succeeded by | George Dewey Clyde |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 7, 1899 Price, Utah |
| Died | October 20, 1996 (aged 97) Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Resting place | Mt. Olivet Cemetery 40°45′26″N 111°51′01″W / 40.7571°N 111.8502°W |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Nellie Emilia Pace (1922–1926) (her death) Margaret Ethel Draper (1928–1989) (her death) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | Arthur J. Lee Ida Mae (Leiter) Lee |
| Profession | Politician, Insurance |
Joseph Bracken Lee (January 7, 1899 – October 20, 1996) was a political figure in the state of Utah, United States. A Republican, he served two terms as the 9th Governor of Utah (1949–57), six 2-year terms as mayor of Price, Utah (1935–47), and three terms as the 27th mayor of Salt Lake City (1960–71).
Lee was the most recent of three Governors of Utah who was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the other two being Simon Bamberger (1917-1921) and George Dern (1925-1933).
Lee was born in Price, Utah, to Arthur J. Lee (1870-1934) and Ida Mae (Leiter) Lee (1874–1980). When he was five, the family moved to Fruita, Colorado, where they remained until he was in the eighth grade. The family then returned to Price.
During World War I, Lee served in the U.S. Army, lying about his age and passing up his high school graduation in order to enlist. During training in California, the Army kept him there as a trainer for the soldiers going to Europe, believing that he had the excellent people skills needed for this job. This was a decision that Lee initially regretted, as he wished to serve in combat. After the war, he joined his father in the insurance business in Price prior to going into politics.
Lee married Nellie Pace. Their daughter, Helen (Nelson), was born in 1922 (died 2005). Two years later Nellie became seriously ill, first with pneumonia, and then with Hodgkin's disease, of which she died in 1926. The medical expenses placed Lee in considerable debt. Until the debts were paid, Lee moved into his own garage and rented out his house. Another way he tried to save money was by eating only one hamburger and drinking a quart of milk a day. During this time, his daughter lived with Lee's parents. This experience helped form his fiscal conservatism, as he vowed he would never go into debt again.
...
Wikipedia