Tributes

Steve Lee was focused on just a few things during his life: he loved his boys (Quincy, Zachry and Travis), his wife (Jean), his business and the beauty of nature - to these things he gave everything. Steve was born in San Antonio, TX in 1945 to Estine and Quincy Lee. Steve and his younger brother Bruce grew up under firm and traditional parenting, receiving their mom’s tenderness and their fathers rigid and demanding oversight. Steve graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 1963 and completed his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1969. Following his studies, Steve joined his father’s development business (Quincy Lee Industrial) and was molded into a thoughtful, honest and shrewd real estate developer. For the decade following, Steve was a calculated, risk-mitigating machine who developed millions of square feet of light industrial space in San Antonio. When the crash hit in ‘87, Steve’s properties plummeted in value and he spent the next 5 years working tirelessly with lenders to restructure the debt. These years of hard work and perseverance saved his family business from bankruptcy. Even during the most stressful times, Steve's word was his bond. Honesty and fair treatment of others were his code of honor. In the years after the crash, Steve would go on to facilitate creative, complex and successful real estate and business ventures including the development of the Concord Athletic Club, rescue of the Frost Bank Building, creation of the Bank of San Antonio and many others. His integrity, out-of-the-box-thinking and engaging personality brought him into the apex of dozens of impactful projects in San Antonio. During the late 90’s and 2000’s Steve would focus his energies on training his boys in real estate and finance. Steve was the founding investor and advisor in the launch of his son Quincy’s Teton Capital investment fund and participated as an original investor in Rackspace.com - another means of supporting Quincy’s work. Steve then invited his recently graduated son Zachry to move to San Antonio to co-lead the development of the Tesoro headquarters building - a learning experience that would tee up Zachry for a future of real estate success. Years later Steve would be a regular brainstorming partner and initial investor in the real estate and entrepreneurial work of his youngest son, Travis, in Boston, MA. There was scarcely a time when Steve wasn’t available to listen, advise or just commiserate over a challenging situation in his sons’ lives. Steve's boys witnessed a beautiful transition in their father as they aged from children to men. Steve would gradually relinquish his role as a teacher to that of a loving, caring, and often emotional father and friend. In Steve's final decade of life his attention gradually moved to knowing, loving and supporting his nine grandchildren. While Steve loved his boys and his business - he also loved his wife. Steve and Jean were married in 1979 in San Antonio and would be celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary this year. Steve was surprisingly affectionate and romantic. Lots of hugs, puckered lips and words of endearment flowed from Steve to his wife. He’d rather be home for dinner and a glass of wine than be out with the guys drinking beer and watching the game. Jean’s presence provided a safety, an assurance and a rest that wasn’t available elsewhere. Their home was more than just a physical space, it was a refuge of peace and refreshment curated by Jean. Even in the depths of Steve’s illness he would occasionally tilt his head to the side, pucker his lips and audibly moan for a kiss from his wife. Their camaraderie was the real thing. It would be an incomplete summary of Steve’s passions to not mention his great awe and appreciation for the natural world. He was an avid hiker and adventurer in part because he felt compelled to exercise, but mostly because he was awed by the glory of sunsets and waterfalls and white-capped mountain peaks. He often requested that his hiking companions stop to admire the silvery bark and golden yellow leaves of Aspen trees at the top of Smuggler Mountain in Aspen Colorado or the endless views of the Rocky Mountains from atop Electric Pass. There was a piece of his soul that was uniquely fueled during these moments of heavenly splendor. In addition to these core loves of Steve, he was a generous giver of time, money and expertise to initiatives that were larger than him. Steve shared innumerable hours advising public/private enterprises including San Antonio’s VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, the Mayor’s Downtown Strategic Planning Task Force and the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Business. He gave himself to these projects because he believed in the Common Good - that his personal resources ought to help improve the quality of life of the average resident. Steve succumbed to Lymphoma and dementia and is survived by his strong wife Jean, his sons Quincy, Zachry and Travis, his brother Bruce, his daughter in-laws Katie, Lora, and Lee, and many lovely grandchildren: Georgia, Wilder, Harkin, Mimi, Tobias, Simone, Sylvia, Landon, Rossi and his two pups Murphy and Eddie. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to Steve’s 3 favorite causes: - The Alamo Heights School Foundation - The Tobin Center for Performing Arts - The Quincy Lee Centennial Professorship of Business Endowment Fund at UT Austin Services to celebrate Steve’s life will be at the Sunset Ridge Church of Christ located at 95 Brees Blvd in San Antonio on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 2pm. The church that Steve’s father loved so much. For personal acknowledgement, you may sign the online guestbook at www.missionparks.com in the obituary section

Tributes

Steven Quincy Lee

October 30, 1945 - September 13, 2024