Beatrice Lucille Wooten-Lee

Obituary Beatrice Lucille Wooten-Lee was born on September 8, 1930 to Robert and Lalure Wooten in Kansas City, Kansas. She was the 7th child born to this union. She accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Eighth Street Baptist Church and remained a member under the leadership of Rev. I.H. Henderson until he passed. Beatrice L. Lee is a native of Kansas City, Kansas graduating from Sumner High School Class of 1948. After high school, she met and married the love of her life Davy E. Lee, Sr. they were together for 46 years until the Lord called him home on July 6, 1996. Her working career began at the U.S. Post Office and Internal Revenue Service. Her interest has always been in arts, sports, and politics. She pursued a career in interior decorating, lamp design, flower arranging and ceramics. In 1964, she eventually was employed by the Kansas City Kansas Parks and Recreation Dept. as a Recreation Director at Sumner Recreation Center on 1st & Franklin, where the facility was not the greatest, but with her personality and hard work she transformed it. She saw an opportunity to mold young people’s lives, provide hope and provide positive guidance to many young people. There she taught many classes in arts and sports to the youth. She was transferred to John F. Kennedy Recreation Center in 1976, which was a much improved facility, where she was able to provide services to a larger number of persons in the northeast area. She was a faithful steward of not only the lives of her children, but to many of the lives of the youth in her community. Her home was their "home away from home". She was their father, mother, sister, brother, mentor, and counselor. Today the many who were blessed by her mentorship, can say that she taught them life altering skills for the rest of their lives. Beatrice L. Lee retired on December 27, 1995 as Recreational Director of John F. Kennedy Recreation Center with 31 years of service. In honor of her commitment, dedication, and service to the community, the John. F. Kennedy Recreation Center was rightfully renamed the Beatrice L. Lee Community Center in September of 2017. She did her job so effectively, but what was so amazing, is what she did after she left the center at the end of the workday. She had a husband and six children, which was her first priority. She managed her household effectively and was intentional about not only serving those in her community but also her first ministry, her family. She cooked, cleaned, all while staying heavily involved in her children's lives by being active in the PTA, helping them with their homework and sitting and talking with them about their daily lives. Her love was evident for "All" her children, including those she adopted in her community. Her children, today, can tell the story of how they had to share their mother with the community and how many still call her mama/mother. They politely look at them and just smile, because they realized early in life that their mother was bound to do greatness not only for them, but for all that came in contact with her. She later became a member of Salem Baptist Church, originally under the leadership of the late Rev. C.B. Bailey, and currently under Rev. Tony Carter, Jr., where she served as voter registration chair and By-Laws committee member. She was active in politics and the community all of her life. At age 10, before she was able to vote, she demonstrated her dedication in being the change, by passing out candidates' literature door to door, and as a teenager, making phone calls during elections. Bea Lee was a member of the Federated Women’s Democrat Club for 25 years, held positions on the State level, and was President of two Federated Women’s Democrat Clubs. Her political involvement was a career that spans over 50 years. She was a Political Consultant for 25 candidates running for office and campaign manager, Precinct Committee Woman (27 years), Ward Captain Ward 3 Precinct 1 (6 years),worked in Gov. Kathleen Sebelius bid for Governor (State of Kansas), and Congressman Dennis Moore’s re-election campaign, doing voter registration, advance voting, and encouraging the community to get out and vote. She held many voter registration drives and voter education during each election. Her present, past boards and community involvement included: Park Board Commissioner-Unified Govt. KCKS (present), National Parks/Recreation Assoc. (present), President of Douglass/Sumner Neighborhood Assoc. (past). Ad/Hoc Committee Against Crime. (past), Rental License Appeal Board (past), Wyandotte County Black Caucus (past), C-FAC Community Forum Against Crime (past), Weed and Seed Advisory (past), American Correctional Assoc. (past), Negro League Baseball Museum (past), Lifetime member of Parent-Teachers Association, Lifetime member NAACP. Other past boards include, Past President of the Northeast Cooperative Council, 1st Vice President Democracy Inc. Wyandotte County Community Corrections, Secretary for Mark 75 Senior Citizens, Mental Health and Guidance Center, Second Vice President NAACP/KCK Branch, Civil Service Commissioner, Tax payers League/Treasurer, Liveable Neighborhood Task Force, Sojourner Truth Observational Study for Youth, Site Council-Northwest Middle School (District 500), and Spring Clean-up in the neighborhood yearly, using youth and non-violent offenders. Her Awards and Honors include: 1980 Black Woman of Distinction, June 1984 - Metropolitan Civic Concerned Workers (MCCW) in which the community honored with a parade, known to be the longest ever held in KCK to recognize Bea Lee for her service and leadership in the community, 1986 Workshop participation (Grant Elementary), Role Model to inspire youth to achieve higher goals, 1992 Wyandotte County Sheriff's Dept. for organizing the first after school tutorial program, 1995 Ethical Police Alliance, Leadership and guidance to youth in the community, 1995 helped organize, secure, and distribute toys to over 500 underprivileged children for Christmas through the Sojourner Truth Observation Study, 1995 Community Safety Award, 1996 Kansas City, Kansan Newspaper - A Salute to our "Unsung Heroes", 1996 African American Legislative Caucus Citizens Appreciation for outstanding contributions to the State of Kansas, 1996 "A New Beginning" Roast was held by many youth she touched and mentored in the community after her retirement, 1996 Mayor Carol Marionovich declared this day as "Beatrice L. Lee Day", 1997 Kansas City, Kansas Women of Achievement, 1998 100 Most Influential African American Women for Community Service (K.C. Globe Newspaper), 1998 Christian Women of the Year (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.), In 2002 was awarded 50,000/Kauffman Foundation Grant that was given to help install state of the art playground equipment in a neighborhood park for children and families, 1989-2003 wrote and received grants to assist Senior Citizens that included, help with minor home repairs, cutting grass, and snow removal. She was passionate about giving others a shot and helped employ youth and volunteers in Douglass/Sumner. She was instrumental in the development of new housing in her neighborhood to the point that they honored her with one of the houses named after her “The Bea Lee” house. She was so selfless to the point where she told them to start at the beginning of the neighborhood instead of starting the new housing on her own street, she said I probably won’t live long enough to see the new houses on my street. Bea Lee was quite the "Matriarch" of her family, often referred to the name "Queen Bea", which was originated by two of her beloved granddaughters, Tyresha (Reese) and Traci Lee. She was truly the Queen of our family. She loved celebrating all holiday gatherings, weddings, graduations, birthday parties, and family events. She was dedicated to attending the yearly family reunion "Georgia Pine Society" that united in different cities throughout our 50 years plus. She instilled the importance of family and modeled that to become valued for years to come. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Lalure Wooten and all 6 siblings: Evelyn Wooten-Edwards, Mattie Wooten-Williams, Roscoe Wooten, Augustus Wooten, James Wooten and Otis Wooten; her husband, Davy E. Lee, Sr., son, Davy E. Lee, Jr., granddaughter, Jamila Lee and one great granddaughter, Delicia Johnson. She leaves to cherish her memories, her children: Sheila (Wesley, Sr.) Lee, Deborah (George, Jr.) Newton, Tyrone Lee, Brian Lee, Anthony, Sr. (Cheree) Lee; grandchildren: Wesley, Jr. (Shemika) Lee, Telicia Lee, Nicole Patterson, Tamesha Lee, Prentice Watson, Jr., Tiffany Charles, Marcus Lee, Sr., Alisha McKoy, Tyresha Lee, Joshua Newton, Traci Lee, Anthony, Jr. (Anna) Lee; great-grandchildren: Malcolm, Ashley, Jordan, NaJae, Marcus, Jr., Raven, Darieon, Rihanna, Jaiden, Nia, Marquis, Auribella, Jamila, Elijah, Yvonne; one great-great grandson, Adrian. Brothers and sisters-in-law, Edgar Lee, Sr., Su-Sing (Ellis) Allen, Barbara Clay, Rozenia (Ella Jean) Lee, Gelhaar (Debra) Lee, Vondorse (Josephine) Lee, Guatama (Charlene) Lee, Iola Diamond, and Omega Lee; special nieces, Regina (Cleveland) McBeth, Turri (Ernest) Hall, Delores (John) Carpenter, Johnnie Mae Wooten, Gwinetta Downton, Monica (Simon) Burbridge; special nephews, Reginald Edwards, Steven (Linda) Washington, James, Sr. (Michelle) Wooten, Curtis Lee, along with a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, her special sons: Nathan (Brenda) Barnes, Jessie (Sharon) Hall, Elvis (Joy) Spearman, Pastor Harold Johnson, Cedric Patton and last but not least LaVert (Linda) Murray, along with a host of "Her Special Children" in the Community that loved her dearly. Mother was a woman of valor, dignity, integrity, grace, compassion, character and Christian love. There is one scripture that defines your life here on earth: 1 Corinthians 13:13 - And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. You have earned your rewards in Heaven... Memorial Services were held on Friday, January 8th at Beatrice Community Center . Funeral Services were held on Saturday, January 9th at Salem Baptist Church. Interment Highland Park Cemetery. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Beatrice Lucille Wooten-Lee, please visit our floral store. Read More

Beatrice Lucille Wooten-Lee

September 8, 1930 - December 28, 2020