Lee Valley Tools founder passes away

[BMAC]

Leonard Lee the founder of Lee Valley passed away. My thoughts and Prayers go out to his son Robin Lee and family at this difficult time.

Lee Valley is the premier specialty woodworking tool, hardware and gardening supplier here in Canada and are the largest Festool Dealer in Canada. Lee Valley has the best customer service model I've ever experienced in this retail market space and sells only the best products with a return policy that is unheard of in this day and age.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/leonard-lee-obit-1.3669286

 

[flair woodworks]

I never met the man, but did spend the first ten years of my working life at Lee Valley.  That customer service model is forever a part of me.

 

[HarveyWildes]

I don't know that I've ever really had a customer service issue with Lee Valley, but I appreciated their drive to quality.  Having worked for Hewlett-Packard in the days when Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard actually ran the company, I appreciate what a hands-on top manager who values people means to both employees and customers.  I hope that Lee Valley continues the people-oriented traditions that he fostered.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I don't know that I've ever really had a customer service issue with Lee Valley, but I appreciated their drive to quality.  Having worked for Hewlett-Packard in the days when Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard actually ran the company, I appreciate what a hands-on top manager who values people means to both employees and customers.  I hope that Lee Valley continues the people-oriented traditions that he fostered.

I've met his son Robin. You need not worry about Lee Valley.

 

[Rip Van Winkle]

Goodbye Mr. Lee.  I will miss you personally commenting on forums when issues came up concerning issues with Veritas and other Lee Valley made, sold, or supplied tools. I'm sure Canadian Festool users have appreciated your past input and actions concerning Festool in Canada. I will miss the articles you used to write for the Lee Valley newsletter.

 

[Oldwood]

I met Mr. Lee at a woodworking show.he was demonstrating a new hardened card scraper. I spoke with him about sharpening the card scrapers and he gave me the one he was using to take home.

Lee Valley has been part of my woodworking pretty much since day one and have always treated me fairly. I enjoyed Leonard's letters in the catalogues.

Condolences to his family. 

 

[leakyroof]

Damn.. A mighty, generous tree has fallen up in Canada.. [crying] [crying] [crying]
While I have no doubt that Robin Lee and company will continue what L. Lee started, I will miss him all the same.  If you haven't ever seen his sharpening videos, you've missed a nice part of him, giving his all while having a few technical difficulties that no one edited out of the video before we the buying woodworkers saw it.
Very Human, and funny all the same... [big grin]
His story of a family members' damaged axe due to the cold Winter temps affecting the steel also comes to mind.
Rest well Leonard Lee, we will miss you.