Grandma Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grandma Lee |
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Grandma Lee performing in 2009
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| Birth name | Frances Lee Myers |
| Born | May 29, 1934 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | April 24, 2020 (aged 85) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Medium | Stand-up comedy |
| Alma mater | Otterbein University |
| Years active | 1997–2020 |
| Spouse |
Ben Strong
(m. 1958; |
| Children | 4 |
Frances Lee Strong (born Myers; May 29, 1934 – April 24, 2020), known as Grandma Lee, was an American stand-up comedian. She became famous as a contestant on the TV show America's Got Talent in 2009. Grandma Lee started doing comedy when she was in her 60s.
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Early Life and Education
Frances Lee Myers was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She grew up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Her father was a college dean. When she was 12, her father passed away. She later lived in a children's home in Kentucky.
In 1956, she finished college at Otterbein University in Ohio. She earned a degree in English education.
Career Highlights
Starting a Family and Early Jobs
In 1958, Frances married Ben Strong, who was a U.S. Marine. They moved to many different places because of his military work. They raised four children together.
Frances tried teaching for a short time but decided it was not for her. In the late 1950s, while living in Cleveland, she worked as a newspaper reporter. She wrote for the Cleveland Press.
A New Beginning
In 1992, Lee Strong and her husband were living in Homestead, Florida. Their home was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. They then moved to Jacksonville. Ben passed away from cancer in 1995 after 37 years of marriage.
After this, Strong left her job as a phone operator at BellSouth. She decided to try something new.
Becoming a Comedian
In 1997, Strong began doing stand-up comedy. She started performing at open mic nights at The Comedy Zone in Jacksonville. She was 63 years old when she began her comedy career.
In 2004, she made it to the final rounds of auditions for Last Comic Standing in Tampa. This showed her talent for comedy.
America's Got Talent
Grandma Lee became very well known in 2009. She was a contestant on the fourth season of America's Got Talent. She made it all the way to the final round of the show.
Audiences loved her unique style of humor. She also joked around with the judges, Piers Morgan and David Hasselhoff. Grandma Lee was one of ten finalists. However, she was not chosen for the top five.
She told People magazine that her jokes were based on real life. She also said she could perform clean comedy. She made sure not to use any bad words on the show.
Later Life
Grandma Lee continued to perform comedy after America's Got Talent. She was known for her energetic shows.
Death
Frances Lee Strong passed away on April 24, 2020. She was 85 years old. She died at an assisted living facility in Jacksonville.
