Former Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee was always a competitor, says Patti Boe, a friend of more than 20 years.
Whether it was a board game, a sports matchup, a court case, or the late attorney’s bout with cancer, which he fought privately for years, Lee never gave up.
“Oh gosh, he was a fighter,” Boe says. “But it was all about the fight for justice, and the fight for doing the right thing. He would never let up. He would never go down.”
Boe is helping to organize an “Art for the Soul” benefit for the American Cancer Society in honor of Lee, who died Saturday, Oct. 18, at the age of 57. In 12 years as the D.A., Lee created a gang task force, re-organized the department, investigated the shootings of two Santa Cruz police officers in 2013, and helped spearhead the recent Downtown Accountability Program.
“He was the glue that held Santa Cruz together,” Boe says. “He was all about protecting Santa Cruz citizens.”
Art for the Soul will be held Thursday, Nov. 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the FineArt 360 Gallery, 950 41st Ave., Capitola. Tickets are $50, with checks payable by FineArt360. Call Catherine Thomas at 925-984-4014 for more information.
