James Clyde Lee

James Clyde Lee, aged 94, horseman, carpenter, farmer, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to all, died peacefully on June 22, 2026, surrounded by his family. He went with Faith, courage in the face of adversity and his great sense of humor until the end. Jim was born on January 22, 1932, to Clyde and Evelyn Nyquist Lee. His childhood was steeped in family traditions and farm life in the Sun River Valley. Here, he developed his love for horses while farming alongside his father with the use of a 4-horse team and a strong work ethic, which he taught to his sons and carried throughout his lifetime. It was the simple life that Jim enjoyed the most – a growing family, a good meal, a dog and horse to train up, and the satisfaction of a good days work. He married Carrol Keiper on May 5, 1951, whom he met in Simms, Montana during their high school days. This year marked a remarkable lifetime achievement of 75 years of marriage on May 5th. It was in the Sun River Valley that they welcomed and raised a family of three lively boys, Loren, Mike, and Bruce. Jim’s first obligation was always to his family as he worked as a carpenter for various construction companies such as Nick Kalafat, Cliff Garsky and later The Anaconda Company, and then farmed after his day job. He enjoyed bird hunting with his sons, especially pheasant hunting and chasing thee mighty white-tail buck! Growing up in this fashion, his sons felt rich beyond description. He was an avid supporter of all of his sons, grandsons, and his granddaughter throughout their sporting careers.

He was well-respected for his dedication and quality of his work. Known as someone who could fix or build anything with wood, many friends and family often relied on his skill, expertise, and advise. Jim had a special affinity for keen craftsmanship, perfection, and “doing the job right.” Looking around his beloved home built with his wife Carrol, and appreciating their beautifully groomed and maintained yard, one can see the results of Jim’s handiwork all around, from barns to bedding plants. It was often joked by his wife Carrol that he was always willing to lend a hand to the neighbors, while many of her projects were put on the back burner! In addition, Jim had a mostly positive impact on everyone he met, and was known for his great sense of humor and joking personality. Jim always felt that he was born to be a horseman, and this was best exemplified by his success with his favorite cart horse – Jack, whom Jim trained at both the buggy and carriage, as well as saddle horse. He was a true cowboy---working each year with his new colt crop and providing various saddle horses for his grandchildren to enjoy over the years. In the 1930s, Jim, family and friends often rode horseback from Sun River to Gibson Dam and from there packed into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Some of his favorite stories were about this time he spent hunting in the Black Tail and riding with his brothers and his dad. Incredibly, Jim rode his own horses well into his 80’s. After serious health issues in his late 40s, Jim spent the remainder of his 46 years of retirement enjoying his home with Carrol, where he remained for the rest of his life. Much time was spent in the summer months in the shade of the backyard willow trees enjoying watermelon and telling stories with his family as Carrol served up lemonade. He had a great memory for stories of the history of the Sun River Valley with a range of keen recall, which varied from the 1930s up to present day. He restored many beautiful pieces of furniture over the years and spent many hours in his garage working on various wooden gifts and projects for his family and friends. More recently, Jim could be spotted driving his brown Ford on his daily rounds up to the pasture to check on his horses and cruising to Vaughn for coffee and maybe sneaking a maple bar and some ice cream! Jim was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Robert Lee and Don Lee; sisters, Margie Weigand and June Evans. Survivors include Jim’s wife, Carrol Keiper Lee; children, Loren (Terri) of Vancouver, WA, Mike and Poppy of Helena, MT, and Bruce (Sara) of Sun River, MT. Jim’s grandchildren include Kevin, Darren, and Vince Lee; Griffen Lee; and Katie Lee, and great-grandchildren Clyde, Maxine, Ruby, and Jane Lee. His younger sister Betty resides in Yuma, Arizona. Survivors also include numerous members of the Lee and Keiper families. The family would like to thank Dr. Gray and the staff of caring and professional experts at Benefis Health Systems that provided Jim the opportunity for many extra years of life. Happy Trails, Jim. Until we meet again, but in the meantime, us boys know you will be hunting the Heavens with your family and friends….the place of nothing but big bucks and the shells are free….We Love You, Dad!!

Family suggests memorials be made to the Sun River Fire Department or local churches.