Dr. John R. Lee, 76, of Phoenix, Arizona died Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at his home surrounded by loving family. He was born in Logan, Utah, the son of Ernest and Virginia Lee. In 1968, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University. While playing on the USU golf team, he discovered a love for Arizona when his team played Arizona State University. He received a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Oregon in 1972. After graduation he chose to practice in Arizona but returned to school at Loma Linda University of Dentistry, where he earned a postdoctoral degree in periodontics. He opened a periodontal practice in Scottsdale and later met and married his wife of twenty-three years, Jana Parker Lee. John was embraced and appreciated by her family.
A chance encounter with John was always a happy encounter. He was genuinely glad to meet new people and pleased to see people he already knew. He was a man of enormous kindness and generosity. In addition to being loved by his family, he was much loved by colleagues, patients, friends, and those fortunate enough to have been mentored by him. In his final weeks, several mentees—and their families—reached out to express deep gratitude for his wisdom and guidance.
John enjoyed hefty, historical biographies and was particularly fascinated by Winston Churchill. He loved golf and skiing. Also, Porsches. He liked to watch nature shows and had an unlikely fondness for his stepdaughter Bre’s ancient, toothless cat.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Richard Lee, and sister Marilyn Lee. He is survived by his wife, Jana; his sons, J. Anthony Lee, Christopher Lee, and Brandon Lee; his stepchildren, Joel Parker, Bethany Fortune (Mac), Jonathan Parker, Bre Hanrahan (Chris); and 7 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in John’s honor on August 7, 2021, at 10:30 a.m., at the Arcadia Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4225 N. 56th Street, Phoenix. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his name to St. Mary’s Food Bank.
Julie
Dr. Lee was such a wonderful man and amazing Doctor. He always called me his”wonder patient” and gave me a hug whenever I was in his office.
My deepest condolences to his family.
Karen Martingilio
Dear Jana please accept our sincere condolences on your. John was such a special and talented man, he will be sorely missed and fondly remembered. We hope that all the wonderful memories you shared will sustain you in this sad time of loss .sincerely To y and Karen Martingilio
Mark Stieg
Dear Jana and the entire Lee family,
Our sincere condolences to all of you with the loss of John. Speaking for everyone who knew John he had a tremendous positive impact on each of our lives.
We were young and so inexperienced when my wife Kathy and I returned to our home town of Scottsdale to begin practice and had the good fortune of having our office next door to John. He opened his heart and wisdom to us. He showed us the ropes, made introductions and befriended us . He taught us much about life, practice, friendship and family. He shared his experiences and advice often, openly and freely much to our benefit.
I loved John like a brother and will forever be grateful for him being in my life as a friend and colleague.
Kathy and I had so many wonderful memories of John . Among them skiing, Regulator Johnson at Snowbird in a blizzard and having lunch at The Moose to commiserate about the perils of Dental practice. A few golf trips sprinkled in over the years with so much laughter it made us cry. Most of all just the random times we would drop in and chat with each other about life and its ups and downs.
Our lives were fuller because of John and we will miss him so much. But we are thankful for the time we had together and the memories of such a gracious and wonderful man!
With much love ,
Mark and Kathy Stieg
Kim Cappello
Dr. Lee will always be in my heart and memories. He was a strong man that taught me so much and brought so much joy and laughter to my life. I was lucky enough to be a part of his staff and shared a wonderful friendship that will forever be missed. Never a dull conversation! A mentor, life long friend, confidant and wonderful human being with a big heart and warm smile that will
never be forgotten. He had a deep love for Jana and his family. If you were lucky to know him you were blessed! God bless you and rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with your entire family.
Lee Ann and Terry Rudnyk
To Jana and the rest of John’s family,
Please accept our condolences and love. Dr. Lee was one-of-a-kind and we are so sorry for your loss.
We’ve known John for decades and were impressed by his generosity and genuine friendship. He had no shortage of friends, but could make each of us feel like we were his very best friend.
He helped our dental practice unselfishly with whatever we needed. Especially, with treatment planning large and/or complicated cases. He always would make time to listen and give advice. He was a natural teacher on top of everything else.
We know many of Dr. Lee’s patients. The love and appreciation for him and his care was evident and abundant as soon as his name would come up. We strive to be that well-liked by our patients.
John was our generous, intelligent, empathetic, loving and caring friend.
He will be missed in so many ways!
With our love,
Lee Ann & Terry
Stewart and Susan Feldman
Dear Jana and the Entire Lee Family:
We were shocked and deeply saddened to hear about Dr. Lee’s passing. He has been our periodontist for 18 years since we moved from New York. He has done extensive periodontal work on both of us. He promised us “no pain” and he was right on. He was always concerned about our well being. He would often personally call us after our surgery to find out how we were doing.
We were always greeted with hugs and his memorable smile.
We will miss him dearly.
May he Rest In Peace!
Kathleen
Dear Jana and Family,
Dr. Lee was a kind and gentle soul and an outstanding peridontal surgeon. Throughout my numerous jaw surgeries, he had an excellent bedside manner. He always smiled and loved his profession.
My deepest condolences to his family.
Gerry
Dr. Lee was a wonderful periodontist. So very kind to my husband Mike and myself. A true gem of a person that always asked about our children and grandchildren. Since his retirement we have missed him, and so very saddened to hear of his passing.
Our prayers and thoughts are with his family.
J Michael and Geraldine Tinnin
Cynthia Anne F.
I am sadden to hear of the passing of Dr. Lee. I had been a patient of his since 2009. Although seeing Dr. Lee meant some serious dental issues, I enjoyed my time visiting him and his staff at his 3rd Avenue location. I remember him prescribing an anti-anxiety for a couple of my appointments. He was quick to stress that the medication was for his anxiety, not mine. I thought that was so funny. Dr. Lee, you will be forever missed, as will your wonderful staff from the 3rd Avenue location. Until we meet again. Cynthia F.
bob painter
I am deeply sadden to wake up this morning finding the email from AZ Perio on the passing of Dr. Lee, I’m heartbroken. I have been in Dr. Lee’s care since 1986, way back in his first small office in Scottsdale. My Mom, whom Dr. Lee cared for until her passing in 2000 was who introduced me to him. Dr. Lee went above and beyond in caring for my needs beginning with periodontal gum surgery in 1986 all the way through to multiple surgeries to prepare my mouth for multiple dental implants. Dr. Lee always reminded me how special my Mom was to him and he always was concerned about my personal well being. Going through 2 life threating auto accidents and stage 3 colon cancer, Dr. Lee showed his support and concerns for my recovery and healing. Dr. Lee just happened to be in the office my last visit in March and checked on me during my cleaning. I’ll always that cherish that last visit and the conversation we had . I can’t begin to tell you of all the genuine kindness, generosity, compassion and care that Dr. Lee has provided for me since my first office visit back in 1986. I have the beautiful teeth and smile I have today because of Dr. Lee’s amazing care. I will miss him dearly, but at the same time Heaven has been blessed with his presence. My heart sent prayers go out to the family and numerous lives that Dr. Lee has impacted by his presence. Dr. Lee has left the World a much better place with the Footprints his life has left behind.
Mary Crawford
He was the most positive, caring, humorous and upbeat medical professional I’ve known and I am so sad to hear he is no longer with us. I will miss my visits with him.
Dr. Rudnyk's Staff
The staff at Dr. Rudnyk’s office are so sad to hear about Dr. Lee’s death. We spent many years working very closely with him and every year went to the dental convention in downtown Phoenix with him and his staff. We enjoyed many yearly lunches together and Dr. Lee was always so kind, knowing all our names whenever we got together. We sure will miss his wonderful personality and friendship….
Nick and Kaki Androsiuk
I’ve been a patient of Dr. Lee for 10+ years so hearing the news of his passing was shocking. I’d often joke with him that I’m sure I’d paid for at least one of those Porsche cars he had. Dr. Lee will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. My deepest condolences to the entire family. Our prayers and thoughts are with you all. May God keep you strong and united through this tough time.
Nick and Kaki Androsiuk
DORIS BERRY
Dr. Lee was one of the special ones, he made visiting the Periodontist a pleasure. Very honest and always ready with a beautiful smile.
May all of the beautiful memories you have of him give you strength during this time of sorrow.
Doris Berry
Debbra
I Absolutely Loved and Adored Dr Lee…
He was a Great doctor and an Extra ordinary human being… One of those people that you meet in life that makes you a better person for having met him. Feel so fortunate to say I knew and I loved this man. A true Gentleman, gentle man… You will be Greatly Missed.
Debi
Whitney & Murphy
We respectfully express our deep regrets to the family and friends of Dr. John R. Lee. Dr. Lee cared for our dentistry welfare for many years and we remain amazed at his talent, touched by his warmth and grateful for his dedication. Visiting Dr. Lee and his staff was always far more than a check-up, diagnosis, or treatment. It was always a reminder of the impact of kindness, respect and professional affection. He was never rushed and he
made me and my family truly feel as though we were, at every moment we were with him, his only patient. We will miss his presence but so Blessed to have experienced his remarkable wisdom and care. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.
Anita and Ron Cohen
Dr. Nancy Hellner
To Dr. Lee’s family,
I am so sorry for your loss. I have been a patient of Dr. Lee’s for over thirty years, and I feel lucky for having known him. I admired his professionalism, his kindness, his skill, and his quirky sense of humor. I know I am among countless others who are very saddened by the passing of such a wonderful man.
Karl Bohman
Dear Jana and Family,
My condolences to all on John’s passing. God has called home one of his very finest!
I have known and worked with John since my first year in practice; 1985. John impressed me early and often with his focus, sincerity, talent, and uncompromising drive to achieve the best possible outcome for each and every patient. We shared similar goals and he helped me define my own practice philosophy. Early on, we shared the same practice management mentor and visited often as we built our individual patient-centered practices. We worked together on countless cases over time; always with the patient’s best interest at heart. We built our practices by focusing on finding, training, and retaining the highest skilled, loyal, and dedicated team members. We spoke often and openly about life and our independent journeys. We embraced each other’s wit, sarcasm, and re-booted each other’s perspective ongoing. John challenged me and he raised my game! John was not only one-of-a-kind; he was in a class of his own.
If you were one of his patients or a member of his team you would undoubtedly agree that we all shared life’s journey with a special, unique, and gifted individual. John’s knowledge and skill as a dental surgeon set the bar for all of us. I was repeatedly inspired by his dedication, energy, and quest for knowledge. His drive to problem solve, reach the very best clinical outcome, and connect with each patient on a personal level will forever be ingrained within me. John had a tremendous since of PRIDE. Today, he would be a consensus, first ballet, Hall of Fame nominee. He left this world a better place.
I Love You John. Rest in Peace.
Karl E Bohman, DDS
Bob & Shirley Bruns
We admired and respected Dr. Lee. He was our favorite dental expert for over 30 years. He was always ready to talk about our health and our golf games. He made it seem like visiting a member of the family whenever we went to see him or his staff. He will be missed.
Christine Pytlarz
I will miss Dr. Lee’s great smile and laugh. He was always so congenial. He worked with me to save my teeth. Never any pain. I was sad to hear of his passing. I send my prayers and heartfelt condolences to you, his family.
Chris Pytlarz
Gary Robinson
Jana, I had a very random impression yesterday to Google John Lee and saw his obituary. I am so sorry for your loss. After reading all of these heartfelt condolences, I know what a wonderful man he is and how greatly he will be missed. We are in Alaska serving a mission and won’t be able to be at his service. My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family.
Stephen Phillips
I was saddened to hear of Dr. Lee’s passing. As a patient, he was the best. He always took the time and he cared. He always went the extra mile. He will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will be missed.