Lizzie Ree Lee

“Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!” On April 21, 1926, God blessed the union of Ned and Arealia Warren with the birth of a beloved mother, Mrs. Lizzie Ree Lee. Mrs. Lizzie Lee was blessed to be born into a family rooted in Christian faith which she gave to her children as an inheritance greater than any earthly treasure. She accepted Christ and was baptized at a young age and walked with Jesus for the entirety of her life. She was a member of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church and later joined St. Mary Pilgrim Baptist Church while living in Alabama. She was a prayer warrior who talked with Jesus about things in her life and the life of her children. It was known that no important decision, or action should be taken without asking her to pray about it. This was because she stood on faith and had seen the hand of God move in her life so many times before. Mrs. Lee met her husband Willie Lee, Jr., while attending Perry County Training High School in Uniontown, Alabama. Like many others from her generation, she endeavored to ensure her family was secure, always placing the needs of others before hers. Her actions were framed by her love for her children. She dedicated her life to making sure her children would be blessed in knowing Christ as their personal savior. She understood their faith walk in Christ was needed to anchor their destiny. She also worked to ensure her children grew into responsible adults through her example as a dedicated and hard worker. She believed that each generation should reach a level higher than the one before. She saw this path through education coupled with hard work. She would often say that, “you have to look beyond today, and plan for tomorrow.” It was the joy of her life to see her family accomplish success in their endeavors which were fueled by her support and love.

Upon moving to Fort Wayne, Indiana, with her family, Mrs. Lee joined Immanuel Baptist Church where she was an active member. After many years, she became a member of Praise Christian and later worshipped faithfully at First Assembly of God with her daughter. She loved being in church and studying God’s word. When trouble arose and the answer wasn’t clear, she would say, “God had a ram in the bush.” She knew that God would always provide. She leaned on God’s word, and never complained. Her smile was as bright and big as her heart. She loved the Lord and her family completely. When she spoke with her sisters, children or grandchildren, her face would light up the room. In this, her life was complete. She had the love of Christ and the love of her family.

Mrs. Lizzie Lee, like her mother before her, loved to bake. She would bake cakes and puddings that were simply delicious. She would sometimes donate one of her famous caramel cakes to the church cake walk and the fortunate winner would leave in total happiness that he or she had won one of those prized cakes. She loved gardening and canning in the summer. The jars of sweet fruit preserves and vegetables for gumbo soup would last through the winter. She enjoyed early spring and late fall when it was time to plant again. A trip to the nursery for flowers always garnered favor. She also loved to quilt. She meticulously sewed each block by hand connecting the patches of worn cloth like she had done so many times before when she stitched the common thread that ran through the lives of her family. Nothing was wasted or lost. Each bumped knee or stumble would serve as a lesson to keep moving forward.

On February 9, 2022, Mrs. Lizzie Lee went home to be with the Lord. Like the Apostle Paul, she could exclaim, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” Today, we rejoice in the knowledge that Mrs. Lee lived a life where she would hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

Mrs. Lizzie Lee was preceded in death by her husband, Willie Lee, Jr., three children, Willie A. Lee, Winston E. (Barbara) Lee, and Mamie Q. (Neal) Brown, and a sister, Mary E. Warren.

She leaves to cherish her memory, six children, Ivy Jean (James) Custard, Canton, MI, Vincent Lee, Lyneice (Jimmie) Hunter, Pickerington, OH, Stephon D. (Joyce) Lee, Lawrenceville, GA, Pamela K. London, and Traysa R. (Peter Bolakowski) Lee; daughter in-law, Barbara J. Lee, Lilburn, GA, and son in-law, Neal Brown; nine grandchildren, Vicki Custard, Lisa Custard, Brittney Custard, Aftin Brown, Victoria London, Jeffrey (Saniyyah) London, Harrison London, Daniel Lee, and Caleb Lee-Bolakowski; five great grandchildren, Christian London, James London, Jackson London, Ivan Custard, and Christopher Hubbert; two sisters, Willie M. (Walter) Pauls, and Fannie L. Warren; two sister in-laws, Joyce Starks, and Donna Smith; two brother in-laws, Kenneth Lee, and Joseph Lee; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.