Tom K. Lee (February 14, 1920 – June 4, 1986) was an American Navajo politician in the state of

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

. Born at China Springs near

Gallup Gallup may refer to: *Gallup, Inc., a firm founded by George Gallup, well known for its opinion poll *Gallup (surname), a surname *Gallup, New Mexico, a city in New Mexico, United States **Gallup station, an Amtrak train in downtown Gallup, New Me ...

McKinley County, New Mexico McKinley County is a List of counties in New Mexico, county in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 71,367. Its county seat is Gallup, New Mexico, Gallup. The county wa ...

, Lee lived in the

Twin Lakes, New Mexico Twin Lakes ( nv, , ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,069 at the 2000 census. Geography Twin Lakes is located at (35.693695, -108.768311). According to the United States Cen ...

area where he owned and operated a trading post. He served with the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

in the Pacific Theatre of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and was a survivor of the

Bataan Death March The Bataan Death March (Filipino: ''Martsa ng Kamatayan sa Bataan''; Spanish: ''Marcha de la muerte de Bataán'' ; Kapampangan: ''Martsa ning Kematayan quing Bataan''; Japanese: バターン死の行進, Hepburn: ''Batān Shi no Kōshin'') was ...

. The first Native American elected to the

New Mexico Senate The New Mexico Senate ( es, Senado de Nuevo México) is the upper house of the New Mexico State Legislature. The Senate consists of 42 members, with each senator representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the state ...

, Lee served as a Republican in for the district from 1967 to 1978. Initially approached in 1966 to run as a Democrat in the absence of a candidate, Lee opted to run as a Republican instead, and went on to serve three terms in the state senate. He later served on the

Navajo Nation Council The Navajo Nation Council ( nv, Béésh bąąh dah siʼání) is the legislative branch of the Navajo Nation government. The council meets four times per year, with additional special sessions, at the Navajo Nation Council Chamber, which is in Wi ...

from 1978 to 1982 and as president of the Twin Lakes Navajo Chapter House. Lee was married to Emma Rose Lee, an artist who designed/sewed one of the first

Navajo Nation The Navajo Nation ( nv, Naabeehó Bináhásdzo), also known as Navajoland, is a Native American reservation in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah; at roughly , the ...

flags. They had six children and lived at Twin Lakes. A son, Clarence and grandson, Russell were both later noted artists and silversmiths. Lee died at a hospital in Albuquerque in 1986 at the age of 66. Following his funeral, he was buried at Sunset Memorial Park in Gallup.

References

{{Reflist 1920 births 1986 deaths Navajo painters People from McKinley County, New Mexico Republican Party New Mexico state senators