George Washington Custis Lee

Biography

George Washington Custis Lee, born into the storied Lee family in 1832, devoted his life to military service and to the stewardship of the family legacy. A West Point graduate and Confederate general, he later served as the president of Washington and Lee University, guiding its students through a period of healing and reconciliation after the Civil War.

Even in later years Lee remained a steady presence at Lee Chapel and in the surrounding community, honoring his father’s ideals while shaping a scholarly environment that respected the past and looked toward the future. His dignified leadership and quiet strength earned him admiration from students, faculty, and citizens alike.