Welcome to the 2026-2027 Rotary Year!

Meet our District Governor - Dr Lee Halsted

Lee Halsted has been a Rotarian for 33 years. In 1969 Lee received his undergraduate BS in Biology and Chemistry. Lee taught middle school for several years before returning to The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Lee received his Doctor of Optometry in 1977 and practiced optometry for 45 years. His first years were spent in D 6400 in Plymouth-Canton. By 1983, Lee was President of the Canton Club and had grown the membership from 37 to 53 members. Due to the challenge of operating a successful optometric practice, the demands of an active and growing family and the responsibilities of caring for his aging parents, Lee had to resign due to Rotary’s restrictive meeting times of Rotary clubs in those years in both districts. In 2006 Lois and Lee moved from Plymouth to Livingston County and in 2007, Lee became a Livingston Sunrise Rotarian. Lee became a busy Rotarian with local projects,
which included all the 4 th of July Parade activities in Brighton, and the rebuilding of the Youth Connection Services building in Howell, as well as sitting on the board of directors for several years. When Lois retired from Michigan Public Schools, she chartered as a member of
Hartland Rotary, focusing on Literacy as her passion. Lee joined her a couple years later and they both served as Presidents of Hartland Rotary between 2013-2020. In 2021-2024, Lee was an Assistant Governor serving Western Oakland County. So far, “the Best job in Rotary,” he says he ever had! During the years from 2018-2025, Lee and Lois were able to travel abroad taking part in eyecare mission trips. Most of these trips were throughout Kenya but their favorite exploratory trip hoping to establish an eyecare mission experience was in Egypt, Cairo area, Alexandria, and Aswan. Lois was asked to become District secretary in 2021 and continues this task through the years of 2026-2027. They are both members of Highway M36 Rotary, Pinckney, Hamburg, Putnam, and Hell. Lee and Lois have two grown children, Brian and Kristen. They both live outside Michigan with two boys per family. Lee is a Major Donor, Bequest Society Member, Paul Harris Society Member, and Polio Plus Society Member.