At the risk of sounding self centered, I’m going to post this note from my 5th Grade teacher, Mrs. Dorothy Prather. She knew my mom and I asked her to send me a memory of her. I was gathering information for the funeral program, but this seemed a better forum.

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Dear Patti Lee,
I am so sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing. How could I forget your mom? She was, first of all, a teacher’s dream of what every parent should be in being concerned about her daughter’s education. She always took an active role in every class that Patti was in when she attended Seabrook Elementary. Although Patti was an exceptional student Mrs. Lee did not just leave Patti’s education up to the teachers. She did not wait for the teachers to assign Patti tasks. She saw to it that Patti used her time wisely. I think this is why Patti had such a love for reading. We would joke that you never saw Little Patti without a book.

I had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Lee when she substituted at Seabrook Elementary School. The same dedication in education she showered on Patti was exemplified in her work with our other students. She had such a delightful sense of humor and we would share a lot of jokes when we ate lunch together. One of the jokes that one of the other teachers, Bill Jarmon, Mrs. Lee, and I shared was that we would tell her that we looked upon Patti as the mother and she as the daughter. This was because Patti was such a serious, conscientious, and matured student.

Now, everyone who knows Patti will see why she is such a loving, dedicated, and involved mother and wife. They say that apples don’t fall too far from the tree. Mrs. Lee was truly a loving, dedicated and involved Mother.

If I had seen this earlier I would have written more. Hope this helps.

Love ya,
Mrs. Dorothy Prather

Selma Gartrelle Gray was born in Atlanta, Georgia on February 21, 1934, the first born to the late George Walter Jr. and Alma Williams Gray.  Their union produced Selma, Walter, William, and Connie.  In 1996, her brother Walter preceded her in death. 

Reared in Washington, DC., she graduated Dunbar High School as part of the Class of 1951.  She pursued higher education as well, receiving her Bachelors’ Degree in Music Education from Howard University and a Certification in Elementary Education from the DC Teachers College.
Selma was united in marriage to Carroll Douglas Lee Jr. on September 1, 1956.  From their union Lola Jeanine and Patricia Geneva were born. 
Selma worked for the US Department of State in the Passport Agency for many years after her marriage until her eldest daughter, Lola, was born.  She returned to work part time once the youngest daughter, Patti, returned to school.  She became a substitute elementary teacher at Patti’s elementary school and began caring for a neighborhood child  after school.  

Selma was a dedicated member of Brown Memorial A.M.E. Church, where she was active in Sunday school.  She also served on the Stewardess Board. She later joined Ward A.M.E. Church where she attended faithfully until her health failed. In 1986 Selma took in her ailing mother, nursing her until she passed, and then dedicated herself to providing hospice care for others in the years following. 

Longtime friends and family remember her love of music, sharing stories of how as a young girl she would she would play the piano into the telephone so that her friends could hear the music. Selma’s children remember music playing in the house almost around the clock; popular radio hits in the morning, country and early rock-and-roll in the tape deck; R&B and soul spinning on a record; and gospel on Sunday or whenever the spirit so moved her. 

Selma enjoyed quilting, making many beautiful quilts over the years.  Actually, no… Selma was a critically accomplished quilter who stunned those around her with how quickly and professionally she could produce a cunning piece of functional art. From hosting quilting circles in her basement to her membership with the “Daughters of Dorcas” quilting group at her church, Selma spent decades honing this craft and sharing it with others.  To her great delight and pride, in 1990 she won first prize in a quilting exhibition. As well, her work was displayed in museums and other places of note around Washington, DC including at the Smithsonian Museum.  She rarely sold a quilt, however, as she believed no price could adequately represent the care, precision and love that went into a piece.  But she delighted when her work was appreciated and cherished, as when it was displayed as a wall hanging or received as a gift for a wedding or a birth.

As a grandmother, “Grand Selma” shone with an inner joy that can hardly be given justice through words.  She gladly cared for her two grandsons, Kai and Finn, through their infancy, happy at every moment she had to see them grow and develop. 

Selma leaves to cherish her memory, her devoted husband of over 55 years, ‘Sonny’ (or ‘Bunky’ depending on which side of the family is speaking); her daughters, Lola and Patti; her sons-in-law, Bruce Beno and Branden Hall; her grandsons, Kai and Finn Hall, whom she adored; her brother, William Gray; her sister, Constance Moody; a host of cousins, nieces and nephews; four aunts; one uncle, three sisters-in-law; one brother-in-law; and many additional relatives and friends.  She will be most dearly missed.

From Left to Right: Finn, Branden, Mr. French, Jenni, Kai, Patti

Everyone pictured was on vacation at Anthony’s Key Resort in Roatan, Honduras, except Mr. French who is a permanent resident (and quite pleased with himself). Mr. French just may be a bigger ham than Finn.