Lee and his wife Rose, a photo contributed by family.

When Lee Bare contacted his grandmother the Saturday before he was reported missing he was happy, his sister said.

“He talked about how happy and excited he was. He had a car show and won three trophies,” Melissa Taylor, who lives in Georgia, said this morning.

Now the family is petitioning anyone with information on her brother’s disappearance and Lee himself to notify law enforcement.

“The family of Lee Bare pleads that if anyone has any information that would be helpful in his disappearance to please contact the Halifax County Sheriff’s Department,” the statement says. “We love him very much and are very concerned about him. This is very uncharacteristic of Lee. If Lee has any access to a phone and is able to call us, we feel certain that he would have.”

The statement continues, “This is the brother that calls our 94-year-old grandmother almost every night, he calls his nieces and nephews on all their birthdays and keeps in touch with his sisters and parents on a regular basis.

Photo provided by law enforcement.

“No matter what has been going on in his life, he has always called or went to visit one of his sisters or parents. Even though we are not physically close in location, we are a very close family and keep in touch and are involved in each other’s lives.

“We are praying for his safety and his safe return. We are in constant communication with the local authorities and will do anything to have Lee safely back with his family.”

Taylor said there has been longstanding friction between her brother and his wife, Rose, but when problems came up, “He always called me and my sisters to help him with sound advice and to help him keep carrying on.”

Lee turned himself around, his sister said, and became involved in the church, which served as his moral compass. “He’s an outstanding person. When you picture Lee’s face he has a big smile, looks you in the eye and shakes your hand.”

The owner of a custom body shop in Roanoke Rapids, Taylor said her brother “Is very good at what he does. He has character and integrity. He’s somebody I would be friends with if he was not my brother.”

A stepson in Virginia Beach, Taylor said, loved Lee so much he changed his last name to Bare. “Eric has a sister named Marina. Both are grown and have children on their own who call Lee papa.”

Taylor believes the pressures her brother may be facing can be handled through the love of family and friends. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on. There’s nothing bad enough or terrible enough that we would not help you. No matter what we are here for whatever is going on now.”

Detective Rich Somogyi of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office has been assigned the case. “Right now I’m working on talking to folks and we have searched the area. I’m talking to all his friends and encouraging those with information to call.”

Somogyi said the investigation includes working on phone records and it is unsure if Bare got a ride after kissing his wife goodbye Monday morning. “He did his normal routine, kissed his wife goodbye and said he was going to work.”

Somogyi knows Lee had financial and other stresses in his life. “There’s no real evidence to show he hurt himself. We want to know he is OK and has not been a victim of any crime.”

Said Somogyi, “He was extremely happy because of the car show. He had stresses and pressures from the business and things in his personal life but he was proud of the car show.”

Somogyi said he needs information on where Lee might go and encourages anyone who has been in contact with him to get in touch by calling 252-583-1991 or call Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.