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Born at home in Pagosa Springs, Colo., Lee’s heart never strayed far from that place of his origin. Named for his granddad, Alvie Patterson, and his dad, Lee Cox, he was a consummate outdoorsman, skier, ski instructor and lover of mountains — especially his San Juans.
Lee graduated in 1955 with the first class out of the new high school on main street in Pagosa, excelling academically and athletically — in football, basketball and baseball. He went on to graduate from Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., with a major in mathematics and a minor in physics, and was soon scooped up by the U.S. Army and stationed at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. There, his math and physics education was used in evolving the first building-size computers, which led him into a vocation that he followed throughout his working life.
He was a fourth-generation Pagosan with his maternal roots of the Patterson line and his paternal side carrying numerous generations of Protestant theologians, although his personal spiritual orientation was grounded in the beauty and magnificence of nature, mountains, family and helping others enjoy the things that meant the most to him — skiing and being out in the mountains.
For some 80 years, skiing was Lee’s passion. Beginning at age 7 on the slopes and hills around Pagosa when his dad brought skis home from World War II, he progressed to the rope tows atop Wolf Creek Pass then on to the large ski areas around Denver. There, he became a National Ski Patrol volunteer ski patroller at Arapahoe Basin for 18 years, at Keystone when it first opened, and Squaw Pass Ski Area, then turned to instructing at Telluride and Powderhorn. He did that all while working at his main job in the IT field in the Denver area and later for 23 years at the county, then city of Montrose. After retirement, he kept busy by instructing at many areas, including back at his favorite, Wolf Creek. There, he was often sought out to teach private lessons to individuals who were intimidated by the sport. Gently and patiently, he led them step by step to success through his mantra of “Relax and Enjoy.” At the upper end of the spectrum, he taught aspiring enthusiasts the art of skiing deep powder, steep faces or moguls. He also worked hard to instill a love of the outdoors in his children, and later his grandchildren. He and his family could often be found cross-country and downhill skiing, hiking, and backpacking together. Lee also enjoyed participating in the San Juan Mountain runners club while living in Montrose and later the Gray Wolves hiking group in Pagosa.
At the age of 89, he passed away at home in Cedaredge, with family close by.
Lee is survived by his loving wife, Sheila Ballard Cox, of Cedaredge, Colo.; his sons, Erik Cox and wife Melissa, of Bailey, Colo., and Shawn Cox, of Grand Junction, Colo.; a daughter, Lindsay Frost, and husband Clint, of Evergreen, Colo.; three grandchildren, James, Cameron and Avery; and his brother, Dean Cox, and wife Karen of Pagosa Springs, Colo.
At Lee’s request, there will be no memorial service and his ashes will be scattered at treasured locations in the mountains. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Lee’s memory to Hope West Hospice at 195 Stafford Lane, Delta, CO 81416 and/or Lewy Body Dementia research at Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901.
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