| Notes |
- Robert Hurst Dee, son of George and Ada Dee married Theresa Veronica Conway. Robert Dee, son of poor parents, worked from early childhood to help out his family. He tells stories about how he wanted to playbaseball, but was forced to quit the team because he needed glasses to see the ball and his parents could not afford to buy them for him. He worked as a paper-boy. He tells stories about the kids from the Denver Country Club (the wealthy kids) stealing his paper-boy bike and causing him a great deal of anguish and hardship. These feelings stayed with him into adulthood. He never cared too much for the "society" or "blue-blood" Denver. By his late twenties he could well afford to care, but he maintained his distrust and distance from the other "rich" guys, and associated mainly with people he liked and respected rather than according to their position. He refused to join the Denver Country Clubin later years, eventhough he was invited to do so.
Robert's first employment with a corporation was with the Ford Motor Co. in Denver. He worked as a comptometer operator. After two years there he married Theresa V. Conway. It is interesting to note that Robert attended two weeks of high school. He left by one account because "the algebra got me" and another "because I couldn't see the blackboard." Based on the outcome of his career, the blackboard story is more believable.
He converted to Catholicism to marry Theresa Conway, as she was an Irish Catholic. Robert's English Anglican parents never really quite recovered from this situation (so the Story goes). The religion issue was an issue from their wedding day on. Robert's parents stood across the street from the Catholic Church to "attend" his wedding. Robert's Catholicism cost him his job at the Ford Motor Co. as his boss was active with the Ku Klux Klan, which was active in Denver at the time. He was then hired by Daniels & Fisher Dept. Store, and he became assistant merchandise manager for ladies' apparel. It was discovered that Robert was a Catholic and he was again fired by his KKK superior! Robert certainly had a strong Faith; some lesser Catholics might have been tempted to say, "I was just kidding about that Catholic Stuff." Sort of like the gladiator stories. In the final analysis, Robert's Faith served him well during his life.
After this firing, Robert moved his family to Springfield, Missouri where he was employed by a ladies ready-to-wear store, Herr Dry Goods. That job was followed by another move to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he worked for Mr S. M. Goldbert, owner of Field's Ready to Wear Store for six years. By that time the Depression was well underway Robert moved back to Denver to work for the Denver Dry Goods Department store Co. He was eventually promoted to Vice President and General Merchandise manager. His success was due in part based on the fact that he was very involved with the people who worked at the store. The written testimonials hereceived from 100's of associates when he left the store for another job made it clear that he was a well-liked, respected executive. In 1945 Robert became President and part owner of the T.S. Martin Co., in SiouxCity, Iowa.
Four years later, at the insistence of the Martin family, Robertnegotiated the sale of the Martin Co. to the May Co. department store company. As part owner, the sale had a significant impact on Robert's long-term financial well-being. Robert received a million dollars of MayCo. stock as part of the sale agreement. In 1949, a million dollars was the equivalent of 5 million dollars in 1990. Robert invested this money well, and basically lived out his life on the interest and dividends realized from those investments. Not too bad for a guy who "flunked algebra."
Although he was only 49 at the time of the sale of the Martin Co., Robertnever really pursued his career in retailing past that point. Being awell known and successful merchant, he had impressive offers from retail companies such as Marshall Fields to continue, but he chose not to do so. He was definitely worn out from his career and the final negotiations with the May Co. officials. Some said that he had nervous breakdown. I lived with him during those years, but I wouldn't know why he quit working seriously on a retail career.
In 1981, at Robert and Theresa's 60th wedding anniversary party, Robert told of his two most important personal life goals:
1)provide securityfor his family,
2) see to it that his daughters (Theresa and Mary) married well.
In his opinion and others, his life has been successful. At the sametime, he professed his great love for Theresa Veronica, his wife.
When asked, he says "W.O.R.K. is the most important part of success."
http://www.martydee.com/ - 2004
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1900 - 1983 (83 years)
Has 43 ancestors and 7 descendants in this family tree.
1889 - 1983 (94 years)
Richard DEE, b. Abt 1595 d. DECEASED (6 x Great Grandfather)
George DEE, b. 18 Oct 1858, Horsley, Gloucestershire, England 
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