Goodbye, Joan Lee

On July 6, Joan Lee left us, after a stroke, at the age of 95.

“I can confirm the sad news that Joan Lee passed away this morning quietly and surrounded by her family,” a spokesperson for Stan Lee and his family said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “The family ask that you please give them time to grieve and respect their privacy during this difficult time.”

Joan was married to Stan Lee for 69 years.

Here are some stories about Joan and Stan.

On meeting Joan:

“When I was young, there was one girl I drew; one body and face and hair. It was my idea of what a girl should be. The perfect woman. And when I got out of the Army, somebody, a cousin of mine, knew a model, a hat model at a place called Laden Hats. He said, ‘Stan, there’s this really pretty girl named Betty. I think you’d like her. She might like you. Why don’t you go over and ask her to lunch.’ Blah, blah, blah.

“So I went up to this place. Betty didn’t answer the door. But Joan answered, and she was the head model. I took one look at her — and she was the girl I had been drawing all my life. And then I heard the English accent. And I’m a nut for English accents! She said, ‘May I help you?’ And I took a look at her, and I think I said something crazy like, ‘I love you.’ I don’t remember exactly. But anyway, I took her to lunch. I never met Betty, the other girl. I think I proposed to [Joan] at lunch.”

Later, Stan was getting frustrated with his job at Marvel, and contemplated leaving:

“Before you quit,” Joan told him, “why don’t you write one comic you are proud of?”

and so Stan Lee created the Fantastic Four.

16 months after Joan passed away, Stan followed.

We will miss you Joan.