Arnett James Lee

Arnett James Lee was born on December 27, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York to James Arthur Lee and Dorothy "Dot" Valrie. His early years were spent in St. Albans, New York where he attended St. Catherine Elementary School. It was during that time that everyone became aware of how gifted and smart Arnett was. The family moved to Detroit in 1962, and Arnett began his schooling at St. Catherine where he continued to excel academically while participating in football and other extracurricular activities. He graduated from Eastern High School, and then spent two years in the military serving during the Vietnam era.



After serving in the military, Arnett continued his education at Wayne State University. There, he earned a degree in Accounting and passed the CPA exam earning him the prestigious Certified Public Accountant designation. Arnett worked at many firms and specialized in audit. His charismatic personality, coupled with his brilliant mind, allowed him to build a rapport with his clients and start his own CPA firm (Lee & Broden). Within that capacity, Arnett negotiated several large contracts with the U.S. government which broke barriers for minorities that practiced in the field. After dissolving the firm, Arnett continued to audit and held clients in several locations around the United States. He held his CPA designation until his death.



From a personal perspective, Arnett was a lover of jazz music, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and black and white movies (particularly old westerns and Casablanca). His loving bond with his mother was unconditional; so much so that he never lived more than five minutes away from her! On August 23, 1986, he married the love of his life, Toni Denice Foster, after meeting her in a psychology class at Wayne State University. Together, they raised their family in Detroit, Michigan. In his older age, he enjoyed sitting on the back porch with his wife listening to old school music and reflecting on "the good old days." He had an avid sweet tooth, and even against doctor's orders, you could often find him indulging in root beer floats, Raisin-Bran, chocolate candies, or his daughter's banana pudding (which was his absolute favorite). He enjoyed watching sports with his friends (many of whom preceded him in death). Although he was a man of very few words, his presence was always felt and known. Arnett was a "bigger than life" person to all his family, and he will be sorely missed.



Arnett Lee departed this life on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 after a hard-fought battle with several illnesses. He is preceded in death by his parents James and Dorothy, his son Arnett Rome Lee, and his stepfather (William Wasson affectionately known as "Papa"). He leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Toni Lee; his two children, Michelle Hall (Michael) and Kyle Foster Sr. (Shanelle); three grandchildren, Shayna Allen, Kyle Foster Jr., and Kailen Foster; siblings, Kevin Lee (Gwen) and Melody Lee; aunts and uncles, Jacque Valrie, Pastor Minyon Valrie-Perrin, Morris Valrie(Char), Majorie Pitzer, and John Valrie (Shirley); nephews and nieces, Tony Lee, Danielle Lee, and Erica Vest-Wilcox (Harold), mother-in-love, Christine McCoy (Robert), sister-in-love, Leah Vest (Carl), and a wealth of other family and friends.



The family of Arnett Lee wishes to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who cared for him during his illness and those who shared their condolences and prayers with us during this time.