Lee Paden Obituary

Lee W. Paden

Jun 11, 1942 - Sep 14, 2025

Lee Wayne Paden, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather died on September 14, 2025, from Parkinson's disease.

Lee was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 11, 1942, to George and Sadie Paden. At the age of two, Lee's father was killed on Christmas Eve 1944 while serving in World War II when the SS Leopoldville was sunk by German torpedoes. He often spoke of the kindness and value of the extended family and community who were so influential on him while growing up.

Lee attended Oklahoma Baptist University and then received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 1967. Lee began what can only be described as a lifetime of public service to the citizens of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation. A chance meeting with then Governor Henry Bellmon led to a job offer initially as a guard at the Governor's mansion which helped support Lee during law school. He helped organize the Oklahoma Pavillion at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City which highlighted our state to an international audience. He followed his mentor to Washington, D.C., and served as special assistant and legislative director for Senator Bellmon from 1969-1978. He often said it was during this time when he came to understand the extreme importance of the combination of inclusion, listening, and compromise in both politics and life. It was there that he met his future wife of 55 years, Carol, and they were married in 1970, and returned to Oklahoma in 1972.

After his tenure in Washington, D.C., Lee worked for the Public Service Company of Oklahoma for more than 25 years as Legal Counsel and Director of Government Relations. During that time, he never strayed far from government service and participated in the successful re-election campaign of Governor Bellmon in 1987. He also was appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Department of Health from 1987 to 1992. With the creation of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Lee was appointed by Governors Walters and Keating to that board from 1992 to 2004, serving as the chairman from 1999-2001.

Lee was a proud member of the Cherokee Nation. During his time in Washington, at the request of Senators Henry Bellmon and Ted Kennedy, he drafted and helped negotiate the law that would ultimately give all Native American tribes a vital component of sovereignty and self-determination - the right to elect their own leaders rather than them being appointed by the U.S. President. This was undoubtedly one of his most important and long-lasting achievements, and one that he was especially proud of. Lee worked in multiple advisory roles to the tribe throughout his career and was appointed by Cherokee Chief Bill John Baker in 2013 as a special hearing officer to the Cherokee Nation Administrative Appeals Board. He served in this role until 2018 when he was confirmed as a Justice of the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court and later serving as Chief Justice. He retired from this position in 2023 given his health problems, ending more than 50 years of service to the people of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation.

Lee was above all, a family man. He beamed with pride, introducing his wife and children to all. He often said that his kids and grandkids were his greatest legacy. He was a lover of travel and some of the best family memories came from adventures shelling the beaches of Florida and beyond. He instilled that love of exploration to his grandkids and took them to his favorite spots worldwide. An avid Sooner fan, he spent many a Saturday in Norman cheering on the football team and if he wasn't in Norman, he was at his favorite spot in the state, the family home at Grand Lake.

Lee is survived by his wife Carol; his son Matt and his wife Heather who live in Stone Mountain, Georgia; and his daughter Jenny and her husband Lance Laubach from Tulsa; and his brother George from Sand Springs. Lee had five grandchildren Noah, Alexander, Paden, London, and Ella. A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at Harvard Avenue Christian Church on Tuesday, September 23rd at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in his name would be appreciated.

Ninde Funeral and Cremation | (918) 742-5556 | ninde.com

Ninde Funeral & Cremation