LAHARPE — Ask Harry and Joyce Lee why they’ve remained active in the community for so long, and without a moment’s hesitation, they point to the Bible, the Book of Matthew in particular.
“When Christ was asked which was the greatest commandment, the short answer he gave was to love God and love your neighbor,” Harry said. “And I don’t think you can show love for your neighbor by just patting them on the back and saying ‘I think you’re a good person.’ You need to reach out and help.”
With that as their compass, the Lees — after nearly 65 years of marriage — remain busy as ever.
Harry still works full time at his family’s business, LaHarpe Communications and its subsidiary, New Wave Communications. Joyce, meanwhile, still does all of the couple’s yardwork, gardening, canning, baking, cleaning and caretaking.
“She lets me help occasionally,” Harry says with a sly grin.
But their work week rarely ends at 5 p.m., with various volunteer efforts to occupy their evenings and weekends.
Just last week, Harry and Joyce spent much of Saturday at LaHarpe Cemetery, clearing dead limbs from trees sprinkled across the property.
“We did what we could from the ground with a pole saw,” Harry noted.
“And when the county side-trimmed a line of cedars along Nebraska Road, it left some bare stubs sticking out. They just needed some cleaning up.”
Needless to say, the couple spent a good part of the day doing some hard, manual labor, and then “spent a good part of Sunday regretting it,” Harry joked.
“He gets all these big ideas on cleaning, and then the next day he’s pooped,” Joyce laughed.
“I was in church and told somebody, ‘I think Father in Heaven must be about my age,’” Harry replied.
“Why’s that?” a fellow worshiper asked.
“I know now why He wanted the seventh day to be a day of rest,” Harry explained. “I really needed a day of rest.”
The Lees will have plenty to do this weekend as the city marshals for this weekend’s Farm-City Days celebration.
