Jean Shirley Lee Nickens

Jean Shirley Lee Nickens was born June 02,1924 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. She was the third of six children to Maybelle Jones Lee and James Cornwallis Lee. Her twin sister died shortly after birth. Jean’s father was a mule driver for the coal mining industry which required the family to move frequently. Jean attended six elementary schools and three high schools before graduating from Baldwin High School where she was a member of the school’s orchestra, playing the violin. She attended a local business school to further her education.

In 1941 at her girlfriend’s birthday party in Pittsburgh she met Frederick Frank “Freddie” Nickens. They married on April 12, 1943, in Maryland before he deployed to the Philippines as part of the World War II service effort. As a new member of Frederick and Nannie Nickens (parents-in-law) large family which included twelve children, Jean moved to Greenville, VA where she resided for seventy-six years. With the supportive labor of family she and Freddie built their own home on Greenwich Road after his return from the War. To their union two children were born; Suzanne Nickens Gray and Frederick Douglas “Duke” Nickens.

Jean became an active member of the Greenville community, knocking on doors with others to bring electricity to the community, and later to introduce telephone service to the area. She joined Little Zion Baptist Church in Greenville where she helped to start the Usher Board, served on the Food Committee, as well as the Women’s Flower Club and became a Deaconess. For more than fifty years she served as Little Zion’s church clerk. Her service extended to being an active member in many local religious organizations including serving as the financial officer of the Northern Virginia Baptist Center.

She had a robust and diverse professional career that included being a substitute teacher, working for the National Security Agency, secretary to a thoroughbred shorthair horse farm and assistant bank manager.

Jean was a talented homemaker and a gifted baker whose light airy rolls were always requested by family and friends. She also was a skilled seamstress which allowed her love of fashion and quality fabric to be realized in an exquisite wardrobe.

Grass did not grow under Jean’s feet. She and her husband Freddie visited family in New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Georgia, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Florida, California and Europe. After Jean became a widow she continued her adventures with her sisters and later with her daughter and son-in-law attending family reunions across the United States.

In 2019 Jean made the decision to sell her Virginia home, move to California and live with her daughter and son-in-law. For the next five years she flourished in her new environment. She celebrated her 100th year in June which was followed by trips to family gatherings in Maryland, Virginia, New York and Nevada.

Jean enjoyed Thanksgiving 2024 with family in California and on December 03, 2024 quietly went to sleep departing this world. Jean was predeceased by her husband Frederick, and her five siblings, Henrietta Monford, Howard B. Lee, Beatrice Bruce, Irva Cooper and Kareen McCray. To cherish her memory she leaves a daughter, Suzanne and son-in-law Lawton; a son, Frederick “Duke” and daughter-in-law June; granddaughter Alexis Johnson and her husband Jorge Pardo; grandson, Nathan Nickens; great granddaughters: Kiara Jean Nickens and Woodsey Beale Pardo. Extended family members include loving grands: Lawton Gray III, Jason Gray, Ivan Robertson, Antonio Smith, Michael Joiner and Noelani Joiner. In addition she leaves a host of nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, countless friends, several of whom were as dear to her as family.

The family will receive visitors at Little Zion Baptist Church 7600 Greenville Road Nokesville, VA 20181 on Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., where funeral services will be held immediately after. Repass will follow after the service at Little Zion’s Meeting Room (next door to church). Interment will be at Bright View Cemetery, 8265 Lunsford Road Warrenton, VA 20187.