AZ AZ - Ida Mae Lee, 25, Grand Canyon National Park, 1956

[Moonwalker9]

Ida Mae Lee – The Charley Project
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Ida Mae Lee

• 

Lee, circa 1956

• Missing Since11/01/1956
• Missing FromGrand Canyon National Park, Arizona
• ClassificationMissing
• Age25 - 27 years old
• Height and Weight5'1 - 5'5, 110 - 120 pounds
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsNative American female. Brown hair.

Details of Disappearance
Lee was last seen sometime in November 1956. She was working at a hotel at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona at the time. She has never been heard from again. Few details are available in her case.

 

[glamourkitty1922]

It's like she never existed except for that one moment in time. No family, no friends, no past, no future. So sad.

 

[AZ Native Cat]

It's like she never existed except for that one moment in time. No family, no friends, no past, no future. So sad.

I’ve thought about this case for some time. It appears to be an abduction and possible murder. However there is so little information. Some basic questions would be: Who was the last person to see/talk to her? Did she have a husband? Boyfriend? Stalker? Where was she from? Family?

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

Seeing Ida Mae Lee living…maybe

Not the same person as it turns out, however a few people posted in the comments about Ida's last name and possibly what tribe she was from.

It's interesting she's listed as being an Alaska Native in NAMUS. I wonder if that's correct, and what the story is behind her presumed move from Alaska to Arizona.

If Ida disappeared or was murdered inside the park, my understanding from my sister (who worked in a local Public Defender's Office) is that it's voluntary by park officials to report either. I'm curious then who reported her missing, a family member or her employer?

I found this nearly full length photograph of her on NAMUS. It's a black and white photo, so why is there a pink triangle in the background? The construction and angles of that feature looks like a stable and stable door or horse trailer perhaps? Or was it a feature at the hotel where she worked? And it appears that she's leaning on a post or the corner of a wall that has vines or some kind of foliage. Someone took this photograph of her, and she was posing for it. What is she holding in her left hand? My guess is she wore glasses but took them off for the photograph. Was the photo taken by a friend, family member, boyfriend? I assume this photograph is in the possession of the investigating agency and was given to them by whoever reported her missing.

 

[1&2&3]

It does look like glasses in her left hand. Maybe sun glasses since it was a sunny day?

No idea what the pink triangle is.

It appears she has a hat on.

 

[doublestop]

The only Native American Ida Lee I can find in the 1940 census was born c. 1931 in New Mexico, and lived with her family (parents Tom and Ethel, siblings George, David, Amy and Willie) on the highway east of Shiprock, NM. It's about 3-4 hours from Shiprock to the Grand Canyon.

 

[doublestop]

They do have DNA so maybe she was reported missing by a sibling...although you would think a sibling would know the birth date.

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

It does look like glasses in her left hand. Maybe sun glasses since it was a sunny day?

No idea what the pink triangle is.

It appears she has a hat on.

It could be a hat, certainly. It could also be a hair roll since it was a popular hair style in the 1940s. Here in the West, in small towns (like I live in), there are vestiges of styles that are no longer "fashionable", so it's possible it's an older style she kept wearing even after it was out of fashion. It's also possible it was a photograph taken when she was still in her teens.

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

Tried but failed to delete the photo I tried to post. Trying again! Screenland (May 1943-Oct 1944)

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

They're called "Victory Rolls"

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

The only Native American Ida Lee I can find in the 1940 census was born c. 1931 in New Mexico, and lived with her family (parents Tom and Ethel, siblings George, David, Amy and Willie) on the highway east of Shiprock, NM. It's about 3-4 hours from Shiprock to the Grand Canyon.

Awesome find! I wonder why NAMUS has her listed as being an Alaska Native? Is it possible that Lee was her married name? Too many questions and not enough answers.

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

They do have DNA so maybe she was reported missing by a sibling...although you would think a sibling would know the birth date.

Agreed! You would think a sibling would know her date of birth. Maybe when her disappearance was reported, the person taking the information had terrible hand-writing so the year couldn't be read subsequently? I know, it's clutching at straws. Otherwise, it does seem odd, unless the person who reported her missing didn't know her well.

I didn't realize they had DNA. Where did you find that?

That pink triangle bothers me because it makes no sense. It's looks hand-colored, but I can't imagine why someone would color the triangle only, unless the logo/brand behind her was being emphasized for some reason.

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

I've been working on her photograph, trying to bring out some more detail. The door of the horse trailer or stable is more obvious, as you can see the curve of the end of the door (the door standing open). Still unsure of what and why that triangle was hand colored.

I wonder what Ida's job was at the hotel? Was she a waitress, housekeeper, desk clerk? The location of where this photo was taken has me wondering if it was taken on the hotel grounds. That, or at a local ranch perhaps?

Since her case has been given to a Cold Case detective, I wonder if the person in charge would be willing to share more information about her?

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

Here's my next step of working on the photograph...Not really bringing out that much more detail unfortunately. Her high cheekbones are a little more obvious. I can see that her dress has thick shoulder pads. Can't see the seams of the dress, but it looks to be early to mid forties. Maybe the photo was taken a few years before she went missing?

1940s Button Front House Casual Day Cap Sleeves dress Sundress sewing pattern Simplicity 1380 Size 14 Bust 32"

 

[doublestop]

Agreed! You would think a sibling would know her date of birth. Maybe when her disappearance was reported, the person taking the information had terrible hand-writing so the year couldn't be read subsequently? I know, it's clutching at straws. Otherwise, it does seem odd, unless the person who reported her missing didn't know her well.

I didn't realize they had DNA. Where did you find that?

That pink triangle bothers me because it makes no sense. It's looks hand-colored, but I can't imagine why someone would color the triangle only, unless the logo/brand behind her was being emphasized for some reason.

Thinking about how long ago she disappeared, I would guess perhaps a niece or nephew was told about her and submitted the missing person report. They would have DNA but might not know details, especially if their parent had passed away.

I saw that they had DNA on another forum: https:///forum/index.php?threads/id...-grand-canyon-az-1-november-1956-age-25.7627/

I wonder if the colored triangle is a sticky-note pointer type thing, that was on her picture or the document from which her photo was taken.

 

[doublestop]

Apparently I can't link to the forum...I thought maybe not.

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

I wonder if the colored triangle is a sticky-note pointer type thing, that was on her picture or the document from which her photo was taken.

Thank you, Doublestop, for suggesting a sticky note pointer. That's a much more plausible explanation for that jarring pink color on an otherwise black and white photograph than my idea.

 

[Pipsissiway_Potts]

Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim 1960-29

I have been searching through some historic photographs of the various Grand Canyon hotels and lodges. The photo of Ida may have been taken outside the hotel where she worked. It may also have been taken outside her home. Basically looking for a needle in a haystack that might be the wrong haystack. Mostly curious whether the location was at the park. So far, I haven't found anything matching the backdrop. I haven't found any hotels or lodges that have boundary walls, or a cabin door that opens out that way. The Bright Angel cabins have similar dark markings on the doors, but they're reversed. Plus they don't exactly line up. If there's a boundary wall, then it's low enough for Ida to rest her elbow on, and it also has a lintel on the corner. I can't help but wonder if the photo was taken at an apartment house where she lived?

 

[Laughing]

They do have DNA so maybe she was reported missing by a sibling...although you would think a sibling would know the birth date.

BBM

Navaho culture is different from European-American culture. This could be a simple cultural difference.

And, @Pipsissiway_Potts, Bright Angel lodge had cabins/cottages in walled courtyards in the early '70s that had established plantings.

 

[Laughing]

Mary Margaret Begay, missing from GCNP in 1957:

AZ - AZ - Mary Margaret Begay, 20, Grand Canyon, 01 Aug 1957