Passenger Trains > Conductor Laurette Lee photo w/ crew from 2009

With a heavy heart, but many fond memories, I am posting this photo of Conductor Laurette Lee who yesterday passed on from this life in the tragic incident on Amtrak #5 at Ocala, NV.
It was my privilege and an honor to know Laurette both as a co-worker, and a friend. She was one of the first people who befriended me when I arrived in CA as a young brakeman in Nov 1988.
May God bless her and her family and many, many friends.

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Laurette was the one who notified my crew at Santa Barbara about Big Mac & Mike's demise in the Stockton derailment which ironically was also hit in the side by a semi truck. Very sad. RIP Laurette.

So many wonderful stories about her and the lives that she touched. In honor of Conductor Lee and in memory of those that lost their lives yesterday on #5, I humbly submit that this photograph should be picture of the day.

Respectfully,
Burlington John

How long was Laurette with Amtrak? Didn't she work out of Oakland a few years ago?

I first met Laurette when she was a clerk in the Transportation Office at the old 16th Street Oakland depot. I remember that sad December morning in 1989 when we were about to depart on a late CS for Santa Barbara and she came running down the platform to tell us that there had been an accident at Stockton, that it was a bad one, but there were no details. I remember how deeply affected she was by the loss of Ed MacMillan and Michael Pasarella.

Laurette wanted nothing more than to be a conductor, and was very proud when she finally put on the blue uniform. Nobody ran a tighter ship than Laurette.

Thanks for posting this picture. This is how I'd like to remember her.

A heavy heart describes it best. Rest in Peace, Laurette. You were one of a kind.

RPM



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/11 13:58 by Bullringer.

Bullringer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I first met Laurette when she was a clerk in the
> Transportation Office at the old 16th Street
> Oakland depot. I remember that sad December
> morning in 1989 when we were about to depart on a
> late CS for Santa Barbara and she came running
> down the platform to tell us that there had been
> an accident at Stockton, that it was a bad one,
> but there were no details. I remember how deeply
> affected she was by the loss of Ed MacMillan and
> Michael Pasarella.
>
> Laurette wanted nothing more than to be a
> conductor, and was very proud when she finally put
> on the blue uniform. Nobody ran a tighter ship
> than Laurette.
>
> A heavy heart describes it best. Rest in Peace,
> Laurette. You were one of a kind.

Saying she ran a tight ship might be a bit of an understatement...LOL...more like lockdown. Her way or the highway....but she made that train sing...

Man, makes me wish I met her guys! Nice stories and that wreck on the San Jaq, I remember that article in trains about Big Mac, since he was close friends with the author and it was sad reading it at the end!

Great photo MJ.... Great memories I am sure...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/11 15:36 by Amtkrd4man.

I had the privilege of working with this fine Lady once on the San Joaquin's out of Oakland. She was her usual self to me as a new guy until she had a problem with a female passenger. She came to me and told me to either "get this bitch to shut up or I (Laurette) will throw her ass off at the next stop!". I went and talked to the lady and basically told her to either shut up or she was going to be thrown off the train. I talked to the lady and not only calmed her down, she gave me her name and address and ticket information. I went to Laurette and told her what I had done and gave her the information. she looked at me kinda funny and said "I guess you will do just fine as a Conductor!" After that, she and I got along just fine. Every time I saw her after that, she would yell and wave. Funny thing is, she was also also one of the Conductors that trained my Son, Tom, when he worked in Oakland. Tom has many, many good things to say about her too. My wife knew her and thought a lot of her and they occasionally talked on the company cell when she needed something at Stockton station. My daughter also knew her from when she (my daughter) was working out of Oakland and I think she also worked with her once or twice. She will be sorely missed, that is for sure. RIP Laurette! Your friends will miss you forever! Rick Carter

Yes, Laurette did work for a while out of Oakland (to answer a previous post).

I was traveling back to California on #5 maybe not quite a year ago, and made a point to get up early to be able to say hi to Ms. Laurette before the crew departed the train in Reno. I had bought some handcrafted suckers in Park City, and brought one down to give to her (it was strawberries and creme, I think) and chatted for a few minutes, before the crew got ready to pack up for departure. I remember at first debating whether or not I would go down, thinking in my mind it might be "dumb" to take a sucker to her so early in the morning and talk, but now I as I look back on that, I am so glad I heeded that little voice in my head.

AJ

PS And she ate that sucker while we sat and chatted!.....As a woman working in another male dominated field, I always will admire her attitude and conduct. A personality that, had she been a man, would have been labeled "competent, assertive" etc. but because she was a woman, that same demeanor probably earned her, more than once, the label of "witch" or something pathetically similar. Name calling that rolled off her back, or probably made her grin more than once. Thank you Laurette.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/11 19:19 by AmtrakJulie.

Thanks for sharing. Isn't it funny how someone can be with us one day and then, just gone...

GOD Bless Laurette Lee I had the pleasure of working with her many times on the Capitol Corridor trains way back in the beginning of service she was always one of the most professional and nicest persons a guy could work with. She will be missed Rest In Peace Grandma Lee.

The Contra Costa Times just posted a nice story about Laurette, including interviews with her granddaughter, nephew (also an Amtrak conductor) and one of her South Lake Tahoe neighbors:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_18355151

(You may need to register -- for free -- on the newspaper's website to access the story, but it's worth the effort)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/11 21:24 by MarinCommuter.

Thanks very much for posting the picture of Laurette Lee. My heartfelt prayers go out to her and her family. I never had the pleasure of working with her, but she sounds like a great person and top notch employee. I'm sure she will be greatly missed.

I did know Ed McMillon and Mike Passarella. Hard to believe it's been nearly 22 years that they've been gone.

I meet Laurette Lee on my student trip to Sparks when I hired out of OAK.
A real jell.
Fun to work with. She will be missed.

AMK SDP40f
Spring,

Mark thank you for posting this photo of Laurette and company, I was fortunate enough to have worked with her on many an occasion, yes she ran a real tight ship! LOL

She treated you as she wanted to be treated, treat her with respect and you had nothing to worry about, try the other way and you would find out soon how tough she was.

She will be sorely missed by those who have worked with her currently and those who have worked with her over the years and moved on.

Last time I saw her was in 06' when I stopped by the Oakland crew base to check things out, and I remember she gave me a big hug when she seen me, that's Laurette.

Laurette, may you Rest In Peace.

Thanks Mark for the photo! As many have stated, and I'll echo it, it's a sad day to see Laurette gone. Grandma Lee was always the nicest woman I knew on the railroad. She will be missed.

RIP Grandma Laurette Lee. You've Highballed to a better place now.

Regards,

-Frank C.

Frank Christ
Cloverdale, CA
FranksRails Photography, LLC.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/11 07:33 by kg6nlw.

really a waste. My thoughts go out to all who knew her.

Thanks for posting, very sad to hear when a fellow T&E employee is killed in the line of duty. May she rest in peace.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/11 19:46 by AmtHog.

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> Thanks for sharing. Isn't it funny how someone can
> be with us one day and then, just gone...


No kidding, it sucks!