Lee Dumonde came to Salem in 1979 when her boyfriend Bryon Carmichael passed away in Paris and left his fortune to his half-brother Doug Williams. Lee came to Salem to get her claim to the money, and on November 5th Lee and Doug were married. However, in 1980 Doug realized his marriage to Lee was a mistake, and wanted to remarry Julie. Lee was furious and attempted to have Julie killed, but Julie lived. Lee then tried to fake a suicide attempt by overdosing on medication, but when she mixed her pills she suffered a stroke and was left partially paralyzed. Her plan worked, Doug told Julie he could not leave Lee while she was paralyzed. In 1981 Lee began to regain the use of her legs, which she kept secret in order to remain married to Doug. Brent Cavanaugh, who Lee hired to murder Julie for Lee Dumonde returned after having plastic surgery and he called himself Brad. When Brad tried to kill Julie, Lee Dumonde managed to knock him down, but was knocked unconscious. Julie was shocked because everyone believed Lee was paralyzed. As Brad went to kill Julie Lee woke up and shot him dead. Lee was put into Bayview Sanitarium afterward, and Julie and Doug resumed their relationship after Doug divorced Lee. Later Lee was released from the Sanitarium, and attempted to thwart Doug and Julie's wedding. The wedding would go off as planned, but Lee managed turn Hope against her father and Julie, and decided to live with Tom and Alice. After her marriage broke up, Lee began to date Stuart Whyland. When Renee began to date Tony DiMera Lee warned her to stay away from him, but she refused. One night Renee was attacked by the Salem Strangler, but lived only because Lee walked in on the attack and the Strangler fled. After Renee learned that Lee was her mother, and had been lying to her for many years, Lee left town after Renee rejected her.