Irwin Herbert Lee

July 19, 1927 - March 13, 2021

SAN DIEGO — Irwin Lee passed away in his home in Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, on March 13 at age 93. Irwin was born in New York City. His ancestors came to the US from Lodz, Minsk, and Hungary. He was born Irwin Herbert Lipschitz, son of Florence Faeder and Julius “Julie” Lipschitz. Julie soon changed the family name to Lee.

Irwin grew up in Washington Heights, and was in the very first class of students to attend Bronx High School of Science. Irwin began college at the New York University, then enlisted in the US Army at the end of WW2 and was stationed on Long Island. After discharge he joined his parents in Texas where they had moved, and obtained his BA at University of Houston, and his JD from the University of Texas. He moved to Southern California where he practiced worker’s compensation law as an attorney for California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund in San Diego until his retirement.

Irwin enjoyed reading, cooking, tennis, golf, sailing, fishing, and finding “rescued treasures” in flea markets. His many travels included Mexico, South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Russia, China, Australia, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, and Indonesia.

Irwin lived six full years beyond his diagnosis of myelodisplasia. He is survived by his wife Marie Lee, his sister Marcia Kirshner, his children Steve Lee, Juliet Lee, and Jon Lee, and his grandchildren Steven Lee, Sean Lee, Jesse Lee, Jarret Lee, and Jacob Naisuler Lee, as well as his nieces.

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