Marylyn McNeill Lee
Marylyn McNeill Lee was born September 15, 1936 in Magee, Mississippi. She graduated from Mendenhall High School in 1953 and continued her education at Hinds Community College and Millsaps College, graduating in 1957 with a degree in Sociology.
Marylyn worked for Bell South for 37 years, retiring in 1994. She was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers of America on both the local and state level. She was a founding member of the Copiah County Art Association and the Copiah County Historical and Genealogical Society.
Marylyn was an active member of the Crystal Springs United Methodist Church. She had a natural gift and love for working with children, which she discovered as a teen volunteering as a kindergarten class Sunday School instructor at the Mendenhall United Methodist Church. After retirement, some of the most joyful years of her life were spent working in the Crystal Springs United Methodist Church office, and especially, the nursery, where with a gleam in her eye, she spoke of the children as “the light of her life.”
Although she instructed her family that she didn’t “want everything I ever did mentioned but maybe sprinkle in a few things just so I don’t look like a total nothing,” here are a few sprinkles on Marylyn’s 80-year cupcake of life: She loved spending time with her family, she was an amazing mother & a devoted wife. Fondly referred to as “Mimi” by her family, she loved animals of all kinds, riding horses, drawing and was an avid reader. Although openly admitting she was “totally a mess” in regard to athletic ability, in high school, she said she “had a basketball uniform for a few games and went in once when Betty Jo had the flu.” During her education, she was a member of the band, playing the snare drum, and also participated in drama, various social clubs, and writing for the school newspapers. A prolific talker, Marylyn never met a chasm of silence she couldn’t span, given the opportunity. She had a quick wit and playful sense of humor that when combined with her loving and compassionate nature, instantly endeared her to others, both young and old. Marylyn relied on her strong faith and Christian beliefs for guidance in her life. She was a three-time survivor of cancer.
She was preceded in death by parents, Neil and Mary Ethel “Katie” Howell McNeill, and brothers Claude Talmadge “Brother” McNeill and Howell Neil McNeill. She is survived by the love of her life and husband of fifty years, Don Lee, and her children, Michael Lee and Amy Lee Manley, son-in-law Brandon Manley, many nieces and nephews, as well as great and great-great nieces & nephews, whom she adored, and one particularly demanding lap cat, Max.
A celebration of Marylyn’s life and legacy will be held on Monday, February 27, 2017 at the Crystal Springs United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held from 1:00 – 2:00 PM and services will begin at 2:00. A private interment will be held at the Lee Family Cemetery in Pinola, Simpson County.
Marylyn worked for Bell South for 37 years, retiring in 1994. She was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers of America on both the local and state level. She was a founding member of the Copiah County Art Association and the Copiah County Historical and Genealogical Society.
Marylyn was an active member of the Crystal Springs United Methodist Church. She had a natural gift and love for working with children, which she discovered as a teen volunteering as a kindergarten class Sunday School instructor at the Mendenhall United Methodist Church. After retirement, some of the most joyful years of her life were spent working in the Crystal Springs United Methodist Church office, and especially, the nursery, where with a gleam in her eye, she spoke of the children as “the light of her life.”
Although she instructed her family that she didn’t “want everything I ever did mentioned but maybe sprinkle in a few things just so I don’t look like a total nothing,” here are a few sprinkles on Marylyn’s 80-year cupcake of life: She loved spending time with her family, she was an amazing mother & a devoted wife. Fondly referred to as “Mimi” by her family, she loved animals of all kinds, riding horses, drawing and was an avid reader. Although openly admitting she was “totally a mess” in regard to athletic ability, in high school, she said she “had a basketball uniform for a few games and went in once when Betty Jo had the flu.” During her education, she was a member of the band, playing the snare drum, and also participated in drama, various social clubs, and writing for the school newspapers. A prolific talker, Marylyn never met a chasm of silence she couldn’t span, given the opportunity. She had a quick wit and playful sense of humor that when combined with her loving and compassionate nature, instantly endeared her to others, both young and old. Marylyn relied on her strong faith and Christian beliefs for guidance in her life. She was a three-time survivor of cancer.
She was preceded in death by parents, Neil and Mary Ethel “Katie” Howell McNeill, and brothers Claude Talmadge “Brother” McNeill and Howell Neil McNeill. She is survived by the love of her life and husband of fifty years, Don Lee, and her children, Michael Lee and Amy Lee Manley, son-in-law Brandon Manley, many nieces and nephews, as well as great and great-great nieces & nephews, whom she adored, and one particularly demanding lap cat, Max.
A celebration of Marylyn’s life and legacy will be held on Monday, February 27, 2017 at the Crystal Springs United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held from 1:00 – 2:00 PM and services will begin at 2:00. A private interment will be held at the Lee Family Cemetery in Pinola, Simpson County.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Crystal Springs United Methodist Church Children’s Trust Fund are appreciated.
