Thomas Anderson Lee was born January 29, 1974, in Valentine, NE, to John and Kay Lee. The youngest of three children, Thomas grew up alongside his older brother, John, and sister, Christy. He passed away September 22, 2026.
Thomas attended Brownlee Elementary School before continuing his education at Thedford Junior/ Senior High School. During his school years, he was involved in football, basketball, track, band, and choir—a combination that perhaps offered an early glimpse of the many sides of Thomas. After graduation, he attended Hastings College, where he continued his football career.
Thomas eventually made his way to Montana in 2003, where he would build much of his adult life. In 2008, he married Lindsey Otte, and together they welcomed two children, Vance and Claire.
Thomas and Lindsey later parted ways. In 2020, Thomas met his life partner, Kelsey Krug, with whom he shared his life in the years that followed.
Of all the roles Thomas filled throughout his life, being a father was among those he treasured most. He loved his family deeply and was a devoted father to Vance and Claire.
No matter where life took him, Thomas remained connected to his Nebraska roots and loved spending time at the family ranch in Brownlee. An outdoorsman through and through, he loved hunting, trapping, and fishing, and he had the trophy mounts to prove that at least some of his stories about the ones that didn’t get away were true.
Thomas also enjoyed hunting for arrowheads and had built a collection he was proud of. When he wasn’t outdoors, there was a good chance he could be found around a card table. He loved playing cards and was frequently responsible for turning an innocent game of Pitch into something considerably rowdier.
And then there were the Huskers. Thomas was a devoted Nebraska football fan and enjoyed watching games with friends and family, through the good seasons and the ones that required a little more devotion.
Thomas had another talent that may have surprised anyone who knew only his outdoorsman side: he could grow one heck of a garden. He tended a huge garden, and his tomatoes may very well have been the envy of the town. He was also an excellent cook and grill master who genuinely enjoyed bringing people together around a meal. For Thomas, good food was better when there were plenty of people around to share it.
But the things Thomas enjoyed only tell part of his story. Thomas was funny—genuinely funny. He could tell a great story, and people wanted to hear it. He knew how to make people laugh, and his humor was simply part of being around him. More importantly, Thomas was a good friend. He was the kind of person whose company people sought out, because he was simply that guy—the one you wanted at the table, around the fire, watching the game, telling the story, or dealing the next hand.
Thomas was preceded in death by his father, John Lee; his paternal grandparents, Marion and Margaret Lee; and his maternal grandparents, Vance and Doris Anderson.
He is survived by his children, Vance and Claire Lee; his mother, Kay Lee; life partner, Kelsey Krug, and her children; brother, John (Darci) Lee; sister, Christy (Randall) Jobman; nieces and nephews, Tyler (Courtney) Lee, Justin (Adrianna) Lee, Renae Jobman, and Michael (fiancée Hadlee) Jobman; and great-nieces and great-nephews, Declan, Adeline, and Barrett Lee.
Thomas leaves behind a family who loved him, friends who were fortunate to call him one of their own, plenty of stories that will undoubtedly get better with each retelling, and memories of a man who knew that some of life’s best moments involved family, friends, the outdoors, a good meal, a Huskers game, and perhaps a slightly too-competitive game of Pitch.
One service was held in Huntley, MT, Sunday, October 4, at 2:00 p.m. MST at the Rhoadside Event Center. The other service will be held in Thedford, NE, Friday, October 16, at 2:00 p.m. CST at the Fairgrounds. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Thomas Lee Memorial Fund at Stockman Bank in Worden, MT.
Sandoz Chapel of the Pines oversees service arrangements.
