DEDICATION

To the Memory of Leroy Albert Wade III

     December 18, 1956 - October 25, 2006

     Born and raised in Cape St. Claire on Broadneck, Lee—as most of us knew him—cut short his education in Anne Arundel County public schools out of boredom, and ultimately became a self-educated and self-made man. Earning money by washing merchants' windows, he later branched out to commercial cleaning. He won his first major contract—cleaning a Sears store on Alabama Avenue in Washington—when he was only 17-years-old.

     From that business coup, Lee went on to become a consummate entrepreneur and successful businessman, creating many prosperous companies. During his career, Lee employed hundreds of people throughout Broadneck. Over a 32 year period, he became the owner and operator of American Cleaning Corp., Store Systems, Inc., AmeriMaid, Masterworks, Cape True Value Hardware, Wade Services, Inc., and two restaurants— Bebo’s and the Jones Station Inn.

     At one time, Lee was responsible for over 1,000 employees as his companies provided maintenance services at major malls and retailers from Boston through the Mid-Atlantic states and Florida. Lee was a leading member and driving force for the community in the Cape St. Claire Business Owners’ Association. Much that we take for granted on Broadneck, his ingenuity and drive brought into being.

      More than a visionary, he was extraordinarily generous and kind, with a boundless and mischievous sense of humor that constantly drew people to him in anticipation of his next performance. Lee was always ready to help a friend in need while preferring not to be recognized for his many selfless acts of assistance and consideration.

     He loved local history, and recognized the importance of it to our sense of community. He is the one responsible for accumulating a considerable portion of the information and pictures we present in this book, especially that which pertains to the Log Inn and the Labrot Family. He displayed much of it in Bebo’s Restaurant, and many of those historical pictures can still be viewed on the walls of the Broadneck Grill. Without Lee Wade and his desire to culturally enrich our lives, the content of this book would not be as broad or as rich as it is. We miss him.