SEC FORM 4

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

BARNES BRENDA C

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

70 W. MADISON STREET,

THREE FIRST NATIONAL PLAZA

(Street)

CHICAGO

60602-4260

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
LEE SARA CORP [ SLE ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	President & CEO

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/03/2005

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
common stock	05/03/2005		A		83,333⁽¹⁾	A	$21.635	214,148⁽²⁾	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
employee stock option (right to buy)	$21.635	05/03/2005		A		250,000		05/03/2006⁽³⁾	05/03/2015	common stock	250,000	$0.00	250,000	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Award of restricted stock units that may be settled only for shares of Sara Lee common stock. Restricted stock units vest in three equal annual installments on each of May 3, 2006, 2007 and 2008, subject to continued employment with Sara Lee through such vesting date. Upon vesting, the restricted stock units will be converted into shares of common stock on a one-for-one basis.

2. Includes 190,493 restricted stock units that may be settled only for shares of Sara Lee common stock. Restricted stock units generally vest one to five years after the grant date and, upon vesting, are convertible into shares of common stock on a one-for-one basis. Also includes 602 shares of common stock acquired as a participant in the Sara Lee Corporation employee stock purchase plan.

3. Option vests in three equal annual installments on each of May 3, 2006, 2007 and 2008 and expires ten years after the date of grant.

Remarks:

The reporting person was elected Chief Executive Officer of Sara Lee Corporation on February 9, 2005. In recognition of her promotion, the Compensation and Employee Benefits Committee of the Board of Directors granted to her the stock option and the restricted stock units reported in this Form 4.

	/s/ Helen N. Kaminski For Brenda C. Barnes pursuant to power of attorney previously filed.	05/05/2005
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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