Lee Nowell Radford

Lee Nowell Radford, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, lived a life marked by travel, humor, deep faith, quiet strength, and unwavering love for her family and community.

Born to Robert Lee Nowell Jr. and Dorothy McCampbell Nowell, Lee was raised in Monroe, Georgia, in the Methodist church, where her foundation of faith first took root. That faith would become the guiding force of her life—shaping not only what she believed, but how she lived, served, and loved.

At Monroe High School, Lee was deeply involved in school life—playing basketball and tennis, serving as captain of the cheerleaders, and contributing as an editor of the annual yearbook. She was a class officer, a member of the Beta Club and glee club, and a participant in the drum and bugle corps, where she bravely performed as a first horn soloist despite her own admission of being “scared to death.”

She attended the University of Georgia, where she studied English Literature and was an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Her years there reflected her lifelong love of connection, learning, and involvement in the lives of others.

Lee met the love of her life, Garland Radford Jr., when she was only 13 years old, beginning a partnership that would span 65 years. Shortly after their wedding, in June of 1961, the two moved to Japan while Garland served in the U.S. Navy. At just 20 years old, Lee found herself far from home, yet she embraced the experience with grace and purpose—volunteering in a hospital in Yokosuka, working in a thrift shop where she eventually served as chairman, and teaching English to Japanese students.

Throughout her life, Lee’s faith in Jesus was not only something she professed—it was something she practiced daily. After returning to the United States, she continued to serve wherever she was planted. In Atlanta, she worked at Atlanta Federal Savings and Loan, and later in Monroe, she became active in her Methodist church, the Junior Service League, and civic life, including serving as Walton County’s women’s chairman in Jimmy Carter’s gubernatorial campaign.

Her years in Raleigh, North Carolina, marked a deepening of her faith within the Episcopal Church, where she became a devoted and active member of St. Michael’s. Lee served faithfully in countless roles—Sunday School teacher, Bible school teacher, choir member, Stephen Minister and leader, Disciples of Christ in Community facilitator, and lay Eucharistic minister for 16 years. She helped lead ministries, cared for others in times of grief through funeral receptions, and played a role in beginning the Blessings Casserole Ministry. Her service was

never about recognition—it was a reflection of her love for Christ and her desire to care for others.

Lee also gave generously beyond the church, serving for ten years in the Junior League of Raleigh in leadership roles and contributing to organizations such as the Triangle Lung Association, Rex Hospital for over a decade and Sherwood Bates Elementary School.

She had a remarkable gift for preserving the past and creating beauty in the present. Lee spent countless hours researching and documenting genealogies for her own family and for many others through the Daughters of the American Revolution and related organizations.

Above all, Lee’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her beloved husband, Garland Radford Jr.; her children, Robert Garland Radford (Gayle), Elizabeth Radford Marston (Cam), and Kathryn Kamper Radford; her niece, Kathryn McCampbell Gayner (Frank Wood); her grandchildren, Claire Radford Gallagher (Ethan), John Robert Garland Radford (Lauren), Kathryn Reins Marston, Charles Spencer Marston, McCampbell Allen Marston, and Ivey Elizabeth Marston; and her great-grandchildren, JR, Thomas, and two more on the way.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Dorothy Nowell Gayner.

Lee’s life was a quiet testimony to her faith—lived not in words alone, but in service, kindness, and steadfast love. She trusted deeply in Jesus, and that trust shaped every part of her life. Her legacy lives on in the family she nurtured, the history she preserved, and the countless lives she touched through her faithful and generous heart.

Her family rests in the peace of knowing she is now home with her Lord, and she will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

A memorial service will be held at 11:00am on Monday, May 4, 2026 at Saint Michael's Episcopal Church, 1520 Canterbury Rd, Raleigh. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Holy Michael Foundation ( https://www.holymichael.org/holy-michael-foundation ) or a charity of one's choice.

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh is serving the Radford family.