Hazel Catherine Adams Lee

Hazel Catherine Adams Lee, age 99, went to be with the Lord on May 13, 2018 in San Antonio, TX. Born February 4, 1919 in Iuka, MS to Paul & Rubye Adams, the second of four children, the family moved to Memphis, TN in 1936 several years after her father’s death. There she met and married the love of her life, J. Chester Lee, on April 19, 1941. In 1948, they moved to San Antonio, TX with their one daughter, Donna, along with Hazel’s mother Rubye Adams, sister Lorayne & husband Tony Fleet & baby daughter Susan (now Middleton).

All the family joined Alamo Heights Methodist Church in May, 1948 and became active members. Hazel and Chester were charter members of the Kum-Doublers Sunday School Class, remaining members until their deaths. During her 70 years at our church, Hazel served in a wide variety of leadership roles. She organized a Mothers Club and served as President for 2 years (an early precursor to our Weekday School), taught Sunday School for 12 years, helped with VBS, chaperoned youth retreats, and cooked and supported MYF meetings and activities. One of her passions was missions, and Hazel became very active in the Womans Society of Christian Service (now known as United Methodist Women), holding every office several times over a 62 year period. Hazel taught many mission lessons, attended UMW Schools of Missions, and represented our Conference UMW at the 1968 General Conference of the Methodist Church where she witness the birth of the United Methodist Church of today. In 1967, she helped organize a college class known as the Young Adult Seminar (now Adult Seminar) and sponsored it for 27 years period. For 26 years, Hazel and assistants including her sister, Lorayne Fleet, updated and decorated the 9 bulletin boards in the church on Broadway.

When Hazel was asked by Dr. Calvin Froehner to serve on the Administrative Board, she became the first woman at AHUMC to do so, and did several times after that. Along with Chester, they served as President of the Emmaus Board from 1989-1991. When plans were underway to move the church to Basse Rd., Dick Harder (then Business Manager) asked Hazel to collect any history or items that needed preserving to take with us when our Broadway Church moved to the new church. In 1993, Hazel established a wonderful committee with Earl and Jerry Odell, Lorayne Fleet, and Betty Picard. Together they researched and published our AHUMC Church History book in August, 1994, an accomplishment of which Hazel was very proud. From 1993 to 2014, Hazel served as Church Historian and Archivist, spending every Tuesday working here at the church. Hazel was also wrote histories of her family lines, enjoyed genealogy, history, travel, and reading her Bible. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and homemaker. She also loved supporting Chester during his years with the Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus from 1950 to 2003, and his quartet, The Freeloaders. She was very proud that Donna became a pastor here at AHUMC. Hazel wanted to be remembered as the mother of one precious daughter, wife of a wonderful man, a loving grandmother and aunt, and her love for Jesus Christ and her church.

Preceded in death by her husband J. Chester Lee & grandson Peter L. Strieb.

She is survived by her daughter, Rev. Donna Lee Strieb & husband John (San Antonio), and grandson Lawrence Lee Strieb (Austin), plus numerous nieces, nephews & their children.

The Funeral Service will be 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church, 825 E. Basse Rd., SAT 78209 with graveside at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 24, 2018 at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Alamo Heights United Methodist Church.