An energetic, funny guy who fishes.
Mischievous, never settled, and on the move described Lee from his birth. When he was four, he started the routine practice of jumping from the top of the staircase to the bottom without touching a stair. If there was a banister, he was on it. Even breaking his femur and being in a body cast didn’t stop him. Not one to sit in a wheelchair, he learned how to walk with the cast.
Lee was the “caboose” the “final puzzle piece,” the one who completed his family and “was just what they needed,” his sister and best friend, Ellie, who was seven when Lee was born, stated. Lee had a “bonus brother” Brandon, that the family took in before Lee was born. Lee was 12 before he knew that Brandon was not blood related! His other siblings, Jennifer and Derrick, were 16 and 14 years older than Lee and, as a result, less close to him, though, like the rest of the family, spoiled him. Lee didn’t mind being the “test dummy” for the bike ramps the siblings built and could bring anyone out of a funk. He always wanted everyone to feel better when he left them. He also liked to intentionally annoy his parents, Tom, and Lorrie, on road trips by incessantly asking if they were there yet!
A natural “fix-it guy,” Lee could repair anything—cars, appliances, anything broken, something he learned from being a constant companion to his dad. He worked in asphalt and construction, and his hands-on skills made him invaluable. When a friend’s mom couldn’t afford car repairs, Lee showed up to fix it. He mowed lawns for older adults, helped neighbors, and gave whatever he could—even his last five dollars to someone who needed it more.
Lee could fish 24/7, though he never ate a one. He loved being out in the open air, especially near the Weaver River, his favorite fishing spot. If there wasn’t snow on the ground, he would be camping, even pulling over to the side of the road, and pitching a tent spontaneously. One of Ellie’s favorite memories was a Father’s Day fishing trip at Causey reservoir with Lee and their dad. Lee would cast perfectly each time. Not catching anything, the group would walk five feet and cast again. The three of them walked the entire perimeter of the lake, casting over and over and never came home with a fish.
Lee’s greatest pride was being a father to Ayvin and Jayden. He’d get up in the night as often as their mothers, Melissa, and Mercedes. He attended every dance recital and baseball game and had them by his side when he was fixing things and fishing, or sliding down red rock hills until they were all covered in red clay. He was also a cherished uncle, spending hours with his nieces and nephews.
Lee’s addiction was astonishing. It was a side of him many didn’t see. He was the strong one, the helper, the giver, the glue that held the family together. His overdose was a devastating shock. Ellie, his sister and lifelong “battle buddy,” still talks to him as if he’s alive. His absence is deeply felt—family gatherings have stopped, holidays are quiet, the well-timed one-liners are missing. Ellie misses his hugs, their secret handshake, and his dry humor. The world feels dimmer without him in it.
Lee’s sister, and “partner in crime,” Ellie Crozier, provided the information for this narrative. September 12, 1993–May 30, 2021-Age 27
Portrait Artist: Shawn Faust
Narrative Writer: Barbara Francois
