Judith B. Lee

1938-2026

Lee, Judith Ann Bates, of Leeds, died on Sunday, January 4th at the age of 87. The third daughter of Bee & Ura Bates, Judy was born on August 2, 1938 near Addison in Winston County. She graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1956.

Judy met the love of her life, John Clyde Lee, on July 3, 1962 while on a blind date set up by John’s life-long friend, Harvey Hendon. They were married on January 11, 1963 & spent 56 wonderful years together until John’s death in 2019.

A stay-at-home mom while their daughters were young, Judy served as an officer in the PTA for the vast majority of their school years. Although raised in the Baptist church, Judy joyfully joined the Presbyterian church when she married & served it faithfully for the rest of her life. At Leeds Presbyterian, she served several terms as President of the Women of the Church, was a Sunday School teacher, & a choir member. At Bold Springs Presbyterian, Judy served as a deacon, &, after John’s death, took on his mantle as an elder. She was a member of the Leeds Study Club.

Judy was a gifted seamstress. In the early 1980s, she began sewing display garments at the flagship Hancock Fabrics store on 3rd Avenue South. Later, she was asked to join the staff full-time as their Display Coordinator, a position she held until her retirement. Among her hundreds of creations for display were both of her daughters’ wedding dresses. After grandchildren began arriving, Judy taught herself smocking & heirloom sewing. In her later years, she learned how to crochet & knit & organized a local knitting group where she reveled in teaching others.

Judy was preceded in death by her husband, John Clyde Lee; father, John Bee Bates; mother, Ura Bell Cole Bates; & sisters Barbara Bates Mellon & Phyllis Bates Horton. She is survived by her loving daughters, Susan Lee Mills of Dallas, TX & Carol Lee Pattillo of Leeds; sons-in-law, The Rev. Michael Mills & Alexander Fraser Pattillo, III; grandchildren, Alexander Pattillo IV, Clare Mills, Bradford Pattillo, John Mills, & Grace Pattillo Griffin (Thomas); & brother-in-law, Roland Lee.

A private family service will be held at Bold Springs Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bold Springs Presbyterian Church, 7544 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham, AL 35242.