JEAN BELL MERRITT LEE passed away peacefully on June 1, 2009. She was born December 18, 1917 in San Diego, California to Dwight Day Bell and Lucy Clark Bell. She attended The Francis Parker School in San Diego and The Bishop's School in La Jolla, California. She graduated from Stanford University in 1939. She was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1942 she married Robert Howard Merritt also of San Diego, California. They lived in Houston until his death in 1975. In 1980, Jean married her Stanford classmate H. B. Lee. They moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where they lived for 25 years until returning to Houston in 2006. Family and friends were her special loves. Her love of life will be missed by all who knew her. She also appreciated her time with the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and the Junior League in San Diego, Houston and Albuquerque. She is survived by her husband, H. B. Lee, her daughter Jean Merritt Johnston and husband, Fred Lee Johnston, III of Houston; her son Robert Howard Merritt, Jr. and his wife Peggy of Raleigh, North Carolina; granddaughter Catherine Tift Merritt and husband Zeke Hutchins of New York City; and grandson George Mero Merritt and wife Elizabeth of Denver Colorado. She was predeceased by her sister Lucy Day Bell Grace and her nephew, James Willard Grace, Jr. The family would like to thank Maria Lusia Zapata, the Hallmark staff and their caregivers who gave extraordinary care during her final days. A memorial service will be held at the Hallmark, 4718 Hallmark, Houston, TX on Friday, June 5, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. and a family graveside service is planned at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the charity of one's choice. Published in the Houston Chronicle on 6/3/2009