John Tong Lee, 69, of Inola, Okla., passed away on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Okla. 

He was born on September 29, 1956 (1960) in Dok Mai Village, Xieng-Khouang, Paek Province, Laos; The only immigrant son and eldest son of father Naocha Lee and deceased mother Sheng (Vue) Lee.

Also preceding him in death was his wife, Ong Chang Lee, 

Survivors include nine children, five sons, from eldest to youngest: Major Lee of Springfield, Mo., Alexander Lee of Sacramento Calif., Tully Lee of Leominster, Mass., and Komeng Lee and Tou Lee, both of Springfield, Mo.; four daughters, oldest to youngest, Wonder (Lee) Yang of Greer, S.C., Jennifer (Lee) Good of Minneapolis, Minn., Aimee (Lee) Xiong of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Linda Lee of Inola, Okla.; four siblings, two brothers, Bouahue Lee of Bori-khamxay, Laos, and Kao Lee of Xieng-Khouang, Laos; two sisters: Yee Lee and Ya Lee both of Xieng-Khouang, Laos; and 11 grandchildren.

He was born and raised in a small peaceful Hmong village Dok Mai in the Xieng-Khouang forest of Laos, to farmers Naocha Lee and Sheng Vue. He excelled in middle school. Especially in English, which he helps teach other students and while home helps his parents farm. In 1979, at the age of fifteen, he joins fellow villagers making an early departure, fleeing from the Vietnamese soldiers in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, towards Thailand. Unfortunately, his family was forced to stay in the village. But he alone reached the Mekong River, he paid a Thai boatman to row him across. Once in Thailand, he walked to the nearest bus station where he was transported to and settled in Ban Venai refugee camp, Thailand.

He took a job as a bus attendant. In 1980, he obtained an American sponsor and flew to the United States to settle down in San Diego, California. He enrolled and received a graphic arts certificate on July 24, 1981, at Midway Community College in San Diego, Calif. He got a job as an English tutor, then he joined a home construction team, and pursued electrical training 

In the summer of 1996, he moved his family to Fitchburg. Mass., and went to work at Weetabix Company in Clinton, as a maintenance technician. He continued his education and received a certificate in maintenance engineering. 

In June 2004 they bought a poultry farm in Cassville, Mo. He then started Reliable Poultry in Neosho, MO (formerly Barnhill Poultry) as an Electrical Technician from 2005 to 2017 for 12 years.

He also volunteered all of his extra time to help Hmong farmers resolve personal and technical issues on their own farms. He was able to assist the growing Southwest Mo. Hmong community in founding and expanding their non-profit organization, the Southwest Mo. Hmong Association, where he served as Vice President and as President for two consecutive years. 

The last nine years of his life were spent enjoying vacations in Laos. 

Services will be held from 8:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. Saturday, January 10, 2026 at McQueen Funeral Home in Wheaton. Burial will be at 3:00 P.M. at Maplewood Cemetery in Exeter, Mo.