Remembering Tex: A Taney County fixture

A man well-known in the Branson community has touched the hearts of all. Many residents of the Branson and Hollister area knew Kevin Clint Lee, although few knew his name. To most, he was simply Tex. Tex passed away on January 29, and his loss is being felt by his many friends and acquaintances. 

Tex was a fixture in both Branson and Hollister, spending much of his time near Hollister's former Kum & Go (now Maverik), in downtown Branson, or on Highway 248 near McDonald’s and Country Mart.  

Tex and Rosie

Many were concerned that Tex was homeless, but one local businesswoman who knew Tex, Alice, shared her thoughts in a social media post.  

Said Alice, "Let me assure you that Tex always has shelter. He was well known and many who knew him always had his back and made sure he had the basics. If he lived differently, it was because he just had different priorities than most. Tex loved animals, loved to visit with anyone who would stop, he never begged or panhandled, but was always grateful for anything offered to him or his dog. He did not tolerate injustice, was patriotic, and most of all, he was always kind, in my experience."

Those who knew Tex well understood that he had some issues and opted not to take medication, and occasionally had off days, indicated by the signs placed beside him, expressing his thoughts and feelings on those days. Some dismissed him, thought of him as crazy, or an addict, lazy or scary, but, to his friends, Tex was none of those things.  

"We tend to think that someone's lack of material things makes them miserable or means they're addicts, but not in Tex's case," said Alice. "He was influenced, in large part, by his mental health problems, but he was true to himself. He was a free spirit. His choices were his own. Tex lived exactly how he chose to. He had different priorities than most and was, for the most part, content with his choices."

While many have blamed Tex's death on the weather, on him having no help, or no one to turn to, Alice added, "I don't believe his death could be pinned on a non-caring community, as he chose his solitary lifestyle, and lived without the niceties and luxuries we expect most people to want. These things were not important to Tex. On the most part, the community rallied around him and he oftentimes had people stopping to give him a meal or a bag of dog food and just shoot the breeze with him. Blaming a man's death, by what it may appear to be, on a non-caring community and insinuating ungodliness and hypocrisy is not the case at all. Tex broke the mold on 'homeless people' and taught many of us that not all are down and out or addicts or dangerous or just plain lazy. His life had a purpose and, while sad to most, he was true to himself and he had many who helped him and cared about him." 

Many has expressed their condolences or shared their memories of Tex on social media. Several suggested doing something to honor Tex's memory, and an informal memorial was held on Sunday in Hollister. One suggestion is to give to local food pantries. Alice noted that she and the girls with whom she works planned to stock Hollister's Blessings Box with food. Another idea is to donate food and necessities to Branson Humane Society or Taney County Animal Control in honor of Tex's beloved companion, Rosie.