Ms. Patricia H. Lee, 83, of Columbus, MS, passed away Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at Trinity Healthcare Center in Columbus, MS.  She battled dementia for the last 9 years of her life.

The visitation will be Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Lowndes Funeral Home.  A memorial service will follow at 11:00 AM at the funeral home with Reverend Prentiss M. "Bud" Gordon Jr. officiating.  Interment will follow at First Methodist Church in a private ceremony for family.  Craig Joseph McElroy will serve as urn bearer. Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS is directing.

Ms. Lee was born September 9, 1940, in rural Clarke County, Mississippi, to the late Joseph Wendell Hudson and Irene Goldman Hudson. Ms. Lee attended Stonewall High School, where she was the Secretary of her class and graduated in 1958.  She joined AT&T at age 18 and began her career as a switchboard operator working in Jackson.  Over the next 10 years, she moved to various locations across the state, including Meridian, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Tupelo and Starkville.  In 1968, she transferred to Columbus, her final duty location.  Ms. Lee worked in various roles over the latter half of her career and finished with 40 years of combined service across AT&T and BellSouth. She joined Central United Methodist Church in 1970 and was a faithful member of the congregation until 2016 when her illness no longer allowed her to attend independently.

Ms. Lee started each day with reading of scripture from her Bible and inspirational stories about the power of prayer from The Upper Room.  Ms. Lee loved to work outside in her yard and growing tomatoes in her vegetable garden; having her "hands in the dirt" was an activity she found happiness in throughout her lifetime.  During her retirement years, she started birdwatching and enjoyed playing Bejeweled on her computer.

In addition to her parents, Ms. Lee is preceded in death by her sister - Shirley Hudson Hunt.  Ms. Lee is survived by her son - Terry Wayne Lee, II; daughter - Janna Lee (Bruce) DeMotts; and nephew - Craig Joseph (Tansy) McElroy.

The family would like to recognize the staff of Trinity Personal Care and Trinity Healthcare Center for the care of our loved one. Thank you for your support over the last 5 years.  Thank you to the faithful staff at Enhabit Home Health and Hospice: Lisa Dooley, Anita Peek, Christen Thomas, Rachel Crowder and Jerry Mitchell – we appreciate you all so much.  The family would also like to express gratitude and appreciation for all the caregivers who supported Patricia with their love and daily individual care: Carolyn White, Latanya Lawrence, Mary Ellen Knepp, Hannah Knepp Estes, Annie Smith, Shanara Smart, Octavious Stower, Kenyatta Wells, Celia Bankhead, Rosie Hinton and Temiria Jones.

Ms. Lee will be remembered as a mother, a daughter, a sister, a niece, an aunt, a classmate, a neighbor and as a friend.  She had love in her heart for all – and she is already missed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider charitable donations to The Sunday Fund, supporting elders who reside at Mississippi Senior Services.  Memorial donations can be mailed to: Mississippi Senior Service Development Office, Post Office Box 1567, Tupelo, Mississippi 38802-1557, or made online at www.mss.org/donate.