{"id":31472,"date":"2026-07-06T21:07:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T21:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/otislee.com\/staging\/2064\/?p=31472"},"modified":"2026-07-07T20:16:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T20:16:11","slug":"southport-living-otis-and-michelle-lee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/otislee.com\/staging\/2064\/southport-living-otis-and-michelle-lee\/","title":{"rendered":"Southport Living: Otis and Michelle Lee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Originally published in Southport Living (December 2025)<\/em>
Written by Theresa Painter. Photos by Kristin Gettleman.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the tranquil, waterfront community of Indigo Plantation in Southport, you’ll find Otis L. Lee, Jr. and Michelle Palmer Lee, a couple whose lives are as rich and varied as the maritime forest that surrounds their home. They’ve called Southport home for 16 years, drawn by the promise of a beach house and the unique coastal culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otis and Michelle are the heart of a vibrant family that includes their two accomplished sons, Otis Il and Justin, and five grandchildren ranging in age from 4 to 24. For a family so well- traveled, their story started simply enough: they met at a mutual friend’s holiday party in November 1979 and were married the following August in 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Southport is their home, the Lees’ perspective is truly global. They have visited more than one hundred countries, driven by a desire to “see the world and understand and appreciate the various cultures and people outside of the United States.” This global view helps them gain “different perspectives that impact and influence the world we live in.”
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Corner Office to Global Research <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Lees are the definition of a powerhouse couple, each with a long and distinguished career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otis Lee, Jr. retired after a remarkable 40-year career as an attorney, specializing in estate planning and tax law. His resume spans the academic world, where he served as an adjunct professor and instructor at multiple universities, to the corporate sphere, with roles at New York Life Insurance Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank. He also spent time with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He holds both. undergraduate and law degrees from Howard University. Not one to slow down, retirement simply opened a new chapter for Otis. He is now a published author of three books and is diligently working on a fourth, along with a documentary film about Brazil’s quilombos, historic communities founded by runaway enslaved people. This research reflects a deep, shared family interest in studying the Black Diaspora. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michelle Palmer Lee’s career trajectory is equally impressive. With a BA from Swarthmore, an MA from NYU, and a PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University, Michele dedicated 27 years to the health care industry. Her focus was on community health education, academic medical centers, managed care, and multi-hospital systems, before retiring in 2020 as a college professor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Family Tradition of Service and Adventure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Lees’ dedication to learning and community is a legacy they’ve passed on. Their youngest son, Justin, is a graduate of Harvard Law School and practices international arbitration law in New York. He is married with two children and has been involved in community housing programs in Maryland and Washington DC. Their older son, Otis III, holds a doctorate in education and is an administrator in Maryland’s public schools. He has also volunteered extensively in educational initiatives and after- school programs for kids in Baltimore County. Together, he and his wife have three children. Continuing a cherished family tradition, Otis III and his father are both members of the Masons, continuing a practice that goes back ot Otis, Jr’s own father, who was a Grand Master.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indigo Plantation: A Serene Base<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For a couple with such far-reaching interests, Southport provides the perfect haven. “As you know, Southport is a small town, and the people are very friendly,” Otis notes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They’ve immersed themselves in local life, enjoying the Sea Notes performances, the annual Fourth of July celebration and fireworks, the Christmas flotilla, and the various community events at the Southport Community Center. A simple pleasure the whole family enjoys is watching cargo ships sail the Cape Fear River en route to Wilmington. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lees also contribute actively to the community. Michelle has volunteered with a local health care coalition, and they regularly attend Dosher Hospital fundraising events. Otis, a “keen observer of public affairs,” has participated in book talks at the local Harper Library and other venues and has been a featured speaker at Southport’s Black History celebration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Sense of Pride at Harper Library <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of their most cherished recent memories ties their global work right back to their local community. Earlier this year, a film crew from lowa came to Southport to film a portion of the upcoming documentary inspired by Otis’s third book, I was Born in the Forest, a Traveler’s Guide to Quilombos\u2026. They chose Harper Library as a filming site because of the library’s long history of support for their efforts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“To include the leadership of Harper Library in this film was our way of saying thank you for their past generosity,” Otis explains.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“Featuring Southport in the documentary film was a sense of pride for us.” <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Their hope is that the documentary will help educate communities about these crucial “marooned societies” in Brazil and their ongoing struggle for land rights and freedom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their travels are always evolving, focused on places that interest them at the moment rather than following a fixed schedule. Of late, their focus has been on South America, specifically Brazil, for Otis’s research. Michelle’s recent genetic research revealed family ties to the S\u00e1mi people, inspiring a thrilling journey across northern and central Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether they’re observing public affairs, exploring the history of resistance ni a remote Brazilian quilombo, or enjoying the Fourth of July fireworks over the Cape Fear, the Lees are grateful for the life they’ve built here. They simply want to keep their “immediate community and the city at large\u2026 safe and retain the quality of life and standards” that make Southport such a special place to call home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Theresa Painter. Originally published in Southport Living (December 2025<\/em>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Originally published in Southport Living (December 2025)Written by Theresa Painter. Photos by Kristin Gettleman. In the tranquil, waterfront community of Indigo Plantation in Southport, you’ll find Otis L. 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