August 25, 2022 at 12:10 p.m.
Edward M. Lee
Edward M. Lee
He was the son of the late S.E. Lee Jr., and Bonnie H. Lee, past owners of The Savannah (Mo.) Reporter, where Edward worked as a youth before embarking on a career in journalism.
Known to friends as Ed, he was a 1963 graduate of Savannah (Mo.) High School and then was graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. After graduation, he moved to Chicago and met Arleen Clemmesen. They were married in Chicago in 1972. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year in Tucson, Arizona.
Ed's career began at The Chicago Tribune as a business writer and columnist. He later became director of communications for the Chicago Board of Trade.
Lee entered the baking industry in 1982 upon joining Gorman Publishing Co. and being named editor of Bakery Production & Marketing magazine, then the world's largest food industry publication. He also served as editorial director for Gorman, which published a variety of food industry-related magazines and newsletters.
In 1987, he became the founding editor and co-owner of Modern Baking magazine, which grew to become the industry's leading, award-winning publication, and later of Baking Management magazine, both published by Donohue-Meehan Publishing Co. After Lee and his partners sold the company in 1998 to Penton Media, he joined Penton and was publisher of Modern Baking when he retired in 2004.
During his journalism career in the baking industry, Lee served on industry advisory boards for the Retail Bakers of America and the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association. He also delivered presentations frequently about baking industry trends and issues before trade association gatherings, for example the American Society of Baking, Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers Association, Retail Bakers of America, Food Marketing Institute and National Restaurant Association.
Among Awards Lee received are the American Business Media Jesse H. Neal Award for Editorial Excellence (the equivalent to B2B journalism's Pulitzer Prize) for a series of articles on how bakery operators can improve profitability and first place in feature writing from the American Society of Business Press Editors for a series about how consumer attitudes and tastes for bakery foods were changing and how bakery operators could capitalize on them.
Ed was inducted into the 2012 Emeritus Members Class of The Retail Bakers of America. The RBA's Emeritus Membership honors individuals who influenced the RBA and the bakery industry.
Ed's passion was his family and friends, many of whom were recipients of one of his affectionate nicknames. He enjoyed bow hunting, boating, hiking, astronomy and fly fishing, interests cultivated from his time in Savannah working toward becoming an Eagle Scout.
In addition to Arleen, Ed is survived by his daughter, Jessica Murphy (wife of Brian B. Murphy), and a son, Edward C. Lee, all of the Chicago area; a brother, Tom, of Tucson; and two grandchildren, Brian E. Murphy, and Jane E. Murphy; and nieces Dana Lee, of Tucson, and Tessa Lee, of Phoenix.
Services are at 1 p.m. Friday Aug. 26 at the United Lutheran Church, 409 Greenfield St., Oak Park, Illinois. Additional services will be held at a future date in Rhinelander. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ed's name to the Nicolet College Foundation main web page at https://www.nicoletcollege.edu/foundation or the direct link to the donation form: https://www.mygiving.net/donate/Nicolet-College-Foundation-Online-Donation-Form. Donations may also be made via check to: Nicolet College Foundation, P.O. Box 518, Rhinelander, WI 54501.
You may leave your private condolences for the Lee family at www.carlsonfh.com. The Carlson Funeral Home (715-269-1414) is serving the Lee family.
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