Community Corner
Remembering Lee Roy Selmon
Patch writer Chef Judi Gallagher worked with Lee Roy Selmon for several years with his restaurants.
When I first interviewed Lee Roy Selmon at the opening of his namesake restaurant in Bradenton, I did not know anything about football. And, coming from New England, I had no idea what a Buccaneer was, perhaps a character in a Mark Twain story?
So, I went online and read for hours. Every article about Lee Roy was filled with words like honest, integrity, and sincere, caring, legend and, of course, gentle giant.
When I interviewed Lee Roy I felt as though I was sitting at his kitchen table. We sipped fresh squeezed lemonade and he shared his story of growing up on a farm in Oklahoma. It was humble beginnings indeed, but to Lee Roy, it was a life of great riches; love, faith, family and hard, honest work.
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When we first talked, he patiently and thoughtfully answered every question asked, offering platters of nachos, smoked wings and, of course, his mamma’s meatloaf throughout. When we finished the interview, my notes counted the word gratitude 10 times. That was Lee Roy. He was a man filled with such gratitude for every living
day, for his family, for his community and life itself.
By the time he opened , Lee Roy had joined me on my cooking show several times, and always made time to sit and share a meal, a story and goodwill afterward. Typically, talking with Lee Roy also meant being asked about you: your life and your family. That never changed. That was Lee Roy Selmon.
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When a shy blogger became tongue tied after meeting Lee Roy for the first time, Lee Roy invited the novice to the table for dessert and insisted she try the chocolate cake with ice cream. He asked about her work and how she became a writer and twenty minutes later she had her story, an autograph, and, a new friend.
Over these many years, I have had the privilege to watch Lee Roy Selmon as he visited his restaurants. Lee Roy spoke to everyone, thanking them for coming out and enjoying the food and, of course, in Lee Roy’s fashion, wanting to know about each person. His hands were enormous, his heart was larger! That was Lee Roy Selmon, the gentle giant!
