James E. Lee Monthly Newsletter

Those of us that collect postal history and essays/proofs will recognize this friendly dealer. Just received via email, his son's preface is mighty poignant:


"Wednesday, August 26th, 2026


#8202;
In this Issue



As I See It



Essays & Proofs



Postal History


Good morning George,



I'm Jason, one of Jim's sons. He asked me to write the opening of this issue. What follows is mine, not his.



A few weeks ago my father had a small stroke. He had a procedure on Friday to address the cause of it. I came in Monday and have been at the hospital since — first the ICU, now the stroke ward, and later today, the rehabilitation floor, where the real work starts: his right leg, his balance, his strength. I've watched him do harder things than this. I'd bet on him.



Before I go further, I want to share a story with you about a recent weekend together in Pittsburgh that means more now than it did just a few weeks ago.



Not long before all this, my brother Adam and I went up to watch our Cubs play the Pirates — three games in three days, walking to the ballpark and back each time, more museums than we'd planned on, a morning spent haggling in a card shop over things we absolutely did not need, and step counts that stopped being believable by Saturday. The good kind of tired. We knew what we had while we were in it. And somewhere in there, over dinner, we started evaluating options for next year's ballpark.



I think about those recent memories and conversations constantly now.



Sitting beside my father's bed, I keep landing in the same place: the clock has been running this whole time and I only just started hearing it. There's a fourth quarter to all of this, and my dad is in his. I don't write that to be grim — I write it because that trip has only grown in value since. It cost me a few days off work. It's now among the things I'd least like to give back.



So here's the only advice I have any standing to offer a group who understands better than most that the worth of a thing has everything to do with time: Take the trip. Make the call. Create that memory. Not eventually. And settle on next year's ballpark while you're at it.



I should also report that the mood in Room 217 is not what you'd expect. My father's early physical therapy sessions have been modest by clinical standards — a few assisted stands, some sitting balance — so I've taken to generating AI images that depict them more accurately. In one, he's putting up weighted squats while the Chicago Bears offensive line cheers him on. In another, he's pioneering an experimental MMA rehabilitation protocol, body-slamming a Packers fan while wearing a Bears-branded hospital gown. He has opinions about which is the better likeness. We laughed until a nurse came to check on us, more than once. If you know my father, you know he'd rather be the one telling this part.



The other thing I've seen from that chair is how much love surrounds him. His wife Melanie, his kids, the grandkids, so supportive, the kind of love that endures. And then there's all of you. He's told us for years that his corner of philately is a rare kind of business, one where clients become correspondents and correspondents become friends. I believed him politely. This month I've watched it be true.



Thank you for being his people. It's meant more to him than he'll say, and more to us than you know.



Stay safe and be well,



Jason




As I See It - August 2026

Gratitude, Recovery, and the Road Ahead



From my perspective, Jason nailed it perfectly. Realizing what was happening on Friday, August 14, gave us the critical time needed to act during that "golden moment." If we hadn't recognized the signs when we did, we likely wouldn't be having this discussion today.



A bit of luck—and being in the hands of the top stroke vascular surgeon in the Midwest—put me in the best possible position for a positive outcome. I am incredibly grateful that the only lasting impact is limited function in my lower right leg.



Now, the real work begins. I am fully focused on strengthening my mind, heart, and body so I can get back to the philately community I love. I have so much motivation pushing me forward, from the upcoming Chicagopex to our winter family trip to Hilton Head with my wonderful wife, kids, and grandkids. Thank you all for your continued support, and I look forward to connecting with you soon.



Be well,



Jim"