Robert A. Lee, 94, of Lakewood, Wash., formerly of Montclair, died on Thursday, Nov. 10, in his sleep. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, in Portland, Ore. Mr. Lee was born in Spokane, Wash., to Mathilde B. and Sigurd H. Lee. The family moved to Portland when he was 2, where he attended Benson Polytechnic High School, beginning a lifelong career in journalism, serving as editor of the school paper and as a stringer for the Portland Oregonian. Mr. Lee graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1938 from the University of Oregon, where he majored in English. In 1941, he married Catherine Taylor, who had been a journalism student at the same school. After graduation, Mr. Lee joined the Oregonian, where he worked until 1960, first as a reporter and later as an editor, pausing for two years to serve as a radio technician for the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was instrumental in founding the Portland Reporter, an independent daily paper, which was published from 1960 to 1964. In 1960 Mr. Lee joined The New York Times, and the family moved to Montclair. In 1962, The Times sent him to Los Angeles for the start-up of Western Edition, of which he became managing editor. The family returned East in 1964, where he worked for The Times until retiring in 1980, finishing his career as head of the make-up desk and associate news editor. After retiring, Mr. Lee returned to Portland, Ore. During this period, he and his wife traveled across the globe and regularly visited family. Throughout his life, Mr. Lee was known for his kindness and compassion, his liberal politics, keen intelligence and wit. He was an avid golfer, a student of history and politics, and a lover of literature and the arts. Mr. Lee was predeceased 2005 by his wife Catherine "Katy"; and his brother, Norman K. Lee. He is survived by his daughter and son son-in-law, Stephanie and Fred Ostmann; his two sons and daughters-in-law, Daniel T. and Nelma Lee, and Robert S. and Laura Lee; three grandchildren, Dr. Heather Ostmann, Lilah Helton, and Natalie Lee; and his great-granddaughter, Stephanie Ann Despain. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oregon Food Bank, P.O. Box 55370, Portland, OR 97238, www.oregonfoodbank.org.