Lisa Kay LeeDECEMBER 21, 1959 – JULY 1, 2024
Lisa had a difficult childhood, but most people would never know that. She never complained about anything and greeted everyone with warmth, love, and high-energy her entire life. She made a habit to make everyone feel special, regardless of who they are, where they came from, or how well she knew them.
Lisa worked as a bank teller when she was younger. Later in her twenties, she started her first business with her first husband: a skating rink. For the next 40 years (and with a lot of hard work and care for others), Lisa matured her business into something beautiful that positively impacted the lives of literally hundreds of thousands of families. Her highly successful businesses included Lambert/Battles Skate Center (and daycare) in Auburn/Opelika, AL, Lambert Skate Center in Columbus, GA, Fun Zone Skate Center (and daycare) in Montgomery, AL, and Fun Zone Skate Center (and daycare) in Dothan, AL. During the later years of her life, Lisa purchased Funland Park and Skate Castle in Decatur, AL with a vision to create another safe and fun place for the families of her hometown. Lisa passed before this vision could come true, but she never quit for a second. Over her 40 years, Lisa and her skate centers/daycares hosted over one hundred thousand church groups, families, children’s birthday parties, schools, and other family events. She employed thousands of people in her community and was quick to provide work for people in need. Lisa believed in hard work, and no one could deny she lived as an example of it until her final breath. Her businesses successfully provided summer camps and after school care to tens of thousands of children, providing families (blue collar, white collar, and anything else) with relief.
Lisa was passionate about what she did. She worked countless hours, but you would never know that. She made her work look fun and brought it with her everywhere she went. Her 5 children can recount the countless “Free Skate Passes” she kept in her purse and gave out with a cheerful smile to the strangers she would meet. She genuinely loved feeling like she could help someone (especially families) through her skate centers and daycares. There was purpose in everything Lisa did. Her goal was always simple: to provide a safe, fun, and affordable family entertainment to people/families from all walks of life. She succeeded her in goals, and her communities thank her for that.
Lisa took no salary from her job. She lived and breathed her businesses. She greeted every challenge she had (and there were many) with a smile, a laugh, an optimistic attitude, and a little bit of defiance. She was smart, too smart sometimes. You couldn’t outwit her, and people (even people she was close to) always wondered what she was planning beneath her upbeat and cheerful demeanor.
Lisa was deeply kind. She cared about others, and often said to her 5 children, “You treat everyone like they are special. From the CEO to the janitor.” She lived to the beat of her own drum on that. For over a decade, Lisa offered discounted admissions at her skate centers if people brought 2 canned goods. For almost 10 years, she was the largest food donor to the Wiregrass Food Bank of Dothan, AL, donating over 300,000 canned goods to those in need (with the help of the families that came to her skate centers). This is one of countless examples of how Lisa didn’t just talk the talk but walked the walk.
Beyond her businesses, Lisa was a Mother of 5 children that she was deeply proud of. 4 boys and 1 girl. She talked about them to everyone and how proud she was (even when relationships became complicated). She wasn’t a perfect Mother (or person), but she deeply loved her children. She always accepted them in spite of and wanted the best for them. From when Lisa’s children turned 13 years old (and for years after), they worked at her skate centers; 15-20 hours a week during the school year & 40 hours a week during the summers. She made her 5 children the “example employees”. Lisa believed in hard work and made her Motherly duty to instill that work ethic in her 5 children. She never stopped thinking about them, loving them, and was always 1 phone call away.
Lisa was complicated person, there is no denying it. She faced many demons, especially towards the end of her life. She had a hard time asking for help and didn’t always make the right decisions. And if you questioned the decisions she did make, well, bless your heart. Those parts about her sometimes complicated her close relationships. Some might call that part of being human, it was certainly part of being Lisa. Yet in spite of it all, she achieved things no one may have thought possible, touched the lives of many doing it, loved generously, and never complained once. All with a smile on her face. She was a gift that rarely comes to this world. She will be remembered by so many as a Mother, someone who made them feel special and loved, an entrepreneur, a trailblazer, and a force to be reckoned with.
Visitation, Formal Acknowledgements, and Charitable Donations:
She is survived by her siblings, TJ Lee (Sherry) and Rebecca Cafferata (Jeremy), her five children- Beau Battles (Melissa), Bebe Battles Russell (Paul), Buck Battles (Megan), John Lambert, and Ike Lambert, and her many grandchildren. Lisa was preceded in death by her parents- Arthur Lee and Jeanne Kelso Lee.
Visitation will be held on Monday, from 10-11 AM with A celebration of Lisa’s life to follow at 11:00am on Monday July 8 at The Church at Stone River. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in honor of Lisa’s memory at the following:
