Lionel Maurice “Lee” Godbout

Lionel Godbout, 78, of Weymouth, Massachusetts, known to most family and friends as Lee, passed away in a tragic accident on Friday afternoon, August, 31, 2018.

Lee was born on June 1, 1940 in Fairfax, VT. He grew up on a dairy farm until age 10 when his family moved to Middletown, CT. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1958. He joined the Navy to see the world in January of 1959. When stationed in Newport, RI, he met the love of his life, Kathy Byrne in Boston. Kathy and Lee married on May 9, 1964 and began their life together in Dorchester, MA. They moved to Weymouth in 1965.

Lee joined the Carpenter’s Union in 1963 and supported his family tirelessly for 39 years, retiring in 2002. He volunteered with multiple organizations, including St. Margaret’s Hospital, where he helped soothe babies in the neonatal intensive care unit, Murphy Primary School in Weymouth, where he helped children read, and MassEquality, where he worked to help pass Marriage Equality for Massachusetts. Lee was a member of the Weymouth Democratic Town Committee, and a passionate supporter of progressive Democratic values. He worked on numerous campaigns supporting candidates at both the state and local levels, most recently, Josh Zakim, candidate for Secretary of State.

Lee found endless joy spending time with his family and friends (and his cat Scooter), keeping busy with helpful carpentry projects, reading, travelling, and camping, with a highlight being a three month cross-country trip in 2003.

He was the beloved husband of Kathleen Byrne Godbout, and devoted father to Kevin and his wife Linda of Weymouth, Keith of Quincy, and Wayne and his wife Sharon of Beverly. He took special joy being Pepère​ t​ o his grandsons Ryan of Altadena, CA and Rylan of Beverly, MA.

He also leaves loving siblings Marc Godbout, Sr., Claudette Lafontaine, Lucille Kiburtz, Pauline Godbout, and Rita Soule, their respective spouses, and many dear nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by siblings Marielle Willett, Henry Godbout, Sr., and Cecile Brady.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday 4-8 PM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home SOUTH WEYMOUTH at 809 Main Street (Rte 18 opp. So. Shore Hospital). 

A service will be held in the funeral home on Saturday, September 8, at noon.

Donations in memory of Lee can be made to #YesOn3, the campaign to uphold Massachusetts’ transgender nondiscrimination protections on November 6th: freedomma.org/donate. Checks can be made payable to Freedom for All Massachusetts. Mail to: Bulldog Compliance, Attn: Charles Gantt, 138 Conant Street, 2nd floor, Beverly MA 01915.