We recently learned of the passing of Mildred Lee, former administrative associate of World Convention and wife of former General Secretary, Allan Lee. A brief biolgraphy follows –
Mildred Lee was born in 1925 and grew up in Yakima, Washington. She was one of the beautiful Ferguson sisters at Yakima High School. The Ferguson family was a member of First Christian Church where she married Dr. Allan W. Lee, in 1946.
The Lee’s lived in Seattle for about ten years while Allen served as the minister of the First Christian Church there. During this time Mildred was a top administrative associate for the Seattle Master Builders Association and then later for the Seattle Center for the Blind. Mildred had always been an excellent seamstress and tailor and helped blind people learn to sew.
When Allan became General Secretary of the World Convention of Churches of Christ, they moved to New York City and Mildred became the administrative associate for the organization. In reality, they were a team. Their daughter, Cyndi remembers how their joy and laughter endeared them to their many friends around the world. The beach and woodland camping were favored trips complete with double solitaire and howling laughter – Mildred usually won!
After a few years in NYC, the Lee’s were invited to move the World Convention to Dallas. They had many friends in the area and lived for the next 30 years in Plano then later Highland Park in Dallas. While in Dallas, Mildred discovered pottery and became a very fine potter, winning numerous first prize awards at craft fairs and state competitions. She was a long time member of the women’s organization, P.E.O. Mildred and Allan were members of Central Christian Church in Dallas where she taught the Sojourner’s Sunday morning class for adults – the most popular class at the church!
Cyndi Lee recalls that Mildred was the pillar of her father’s life and career. Mildred always had a good job and made a point of bringing her daughter to her office to show that working and having a life of one’s own was important for a woman.
During the last five years of life, Mildred was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and eventually Lewy body dementia. She passed away as peacefully as she lived, on March 13, 2015, in New York City.
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