Lion of the Week

Lee Dabbs

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The Lion of the Week is Lee Dabbs.

Lee Dabbs came to Williamson County from the town of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, in the Pennsylvania coal region. She is a graduate of Mahanoy High School. Lee is a true "coal miners daughter." Her father, Joseph Wycuskie, was a coal miner. Her mother, Constance, worked as a seamstress.

After graduating from High School she met her first Husband, John Kleban, on a blind date. He was just out of the Air Force. They married within a year. He went to work for G.E. in Philadelphia in the aerospace program. After they were there for 20 years, he was contacted by a headhunter looking for a president for Textron in Nashville. They came to Nashville and looked the place over and decided to make the move. John later became the COO of Textron. He passed away in 1992 just after being transferred by the Company to Rhode Island.

Lee is retired. She has two daughters, Constance Patterson, and Karen Colebank. Both Daughters are stay at home moms living in Brentwood. Both went to MTSU, and both met their husbands while students there. Lee has 4 grandchildren and spends a good bit of time with them.

Constance married Lane Patterson from Watertown, who happens to be a good friend of Tim Murphy. They have two sons, Trevor, who is 15, and Tyler who is 12. Lee was at the Crockett Park in Brentwood yesterday, (October 8th) for a soccer game where she saw her grandson, Tyler Patterson, kick the winning goal for the Franklin team.

Karen married Art Colebank who is a graphic artist working for the State of Tennessee. They have two daughers, Brooke, who is 4 years old, and Emily, who is 1.

Lee involves herself in many community activities. She serves with KarelGrace Dye on the Williamson County Cultural Arts Committee. That Committee has an art display at the City Hall and will have a reception this afternoon (October 9th) at 4:00 P.M. The Committee puts the children's art display in at the County Fair. It was responsible for the Nashville Chamber Orchestra coming to the Williamson County Public Library and presenting a concert earlier this year. The Committee is also involved in the Blue Grass Festival. Lee also serves as treasurer of the Repulican Career Women.

Lee met and married her second husband John Dabbs in 2001. She met him at a Republican Party function. He is from Hohenwald, Tennessee.. He works in real estate for Drees Homes. Lee loves to travel and has made as many as 8 trips this years. Places she has visited include Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda and the Canadian Rockies. This year she also went back up to Mahanoy City for a High School Reunion. The school invites graduates of all ages and reserves a place that will host 1,000 people. There is a band, and groups meet at tables by class. It is a celebration in Europeain style with much ethnic food. Lee says she is almost full blooded Lithuanian.

Lee was invited to the Lions Club shortly after her first husband died in 1992. She says that the Lions Club is very important to her. "It has become an extended family for me. I make every effort to attend every meeting of the club if I am in town." Lee is chairman of the Scholarship Committee. She has been an active Lion. She has been TailTwister. But she has also chaired committees tha plan the annual banquet and Cristmas party. She has also chaired the silent auction for the Lions Pride breakfast.

As you can see, Lee has been a very active and contributing member to the club. In fact, at the annual banquet this year she was awarded the prestigious Melvin Jones Award recognizing her for devoted service to the club over a period of time.

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