Remembering the Life of Renentia “Nancy” Lee 

 “Nancy” Idella Rosena Lee nee Wells, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend, left this world peacefully in the early Saturday morning hours of October 5, 2024 in Tampa, Florida at the age of 86. Though she is now absent from her body, we rejoice that she is present with her precious Lord and Savior. She was renowned for her deep love for God and family, her encouraging and nurturing spirit, dedication to her church community, impeccable fashion and elegance, her love of gardening, sports, scrabble, gospel music, and the color purple, and her unforgettably radiant smile.

Nancy was born on May 28, 1938, in the rural settlement of Grays, Long Island in The Bahamas. Growing up, she lived with her parents Nathaniel and Hilda Wells and helped to take care of her younger siblings. After finishing her own studies at the age of 14, she helped to teach other children in their local all-age schoolhouse. She often shared fond memories of growing up in Long Island such as grinding corn and catching land crabs at night with a stick as well as memories of attending Saint Theresa’s and Saint Mary’s Anglican churches.

As a young adult, Nancy moved to the capital city of Nassau, New Providence. She began working for Prince George Hotel on Bay Street as a receptionist. She also started to attend church at Central Gospel Chapel where, in 1954, Nancy first met her future husband, Allan Lee. Allan recalls, “ I had never seen such a beautiful woman in all my life. I soon discovered that it was because her inner beauty, shaped by her love for Jesus Christ, enhanced and radiated her entire person.” It wasn’t until 1959 that the two officially began dating when Allan returned home from seminary in the United States. Within a year, Nancy and Allan were married on June 24, 1960 at the same church where they met. In the years that followed, they joyfully welcomed four children into the world: twin daughters Cindy and Sandy, son Timothy, and later, son Allan Jr.  whom Nancy loved to dress in coordinating outfits. They bought their first home in the San Souci neighborhood in Nassau where they enjoyed having a large yard with many native fruit trees to raise their young children.

A faithful and loving wife and mother, Nancy supported their growing family as Allan worked through many years of business endeavors and theological studies. In 1972, the Lee family relocated to the United States so that Allan could complete studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Libertyville, Illinois and later Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. Nancy loved growing large rose bushes in their backyard and being a part of their town’s Garden Club, attending Texas Rangers baseball games, knitting the family’s winter accessories, and listening to gospel music artists from the SonLife Broadcasting Network and Bill Gaithers. In 1979 as their children were transitioning to college years, the family moved again to Racine, Wisconsin so that Allan could take a senior pastor-teacher position at Racine Bible Church. Nancy continued to join another local garden club, build strong friendships with women and families at the church, and take care of their black-furred poodle Mandy.

By 1989, Nancy and Allan officially returned to The Bahamas where Allan assumed a senior pastor-teacher position at Calvary Bible Church in Nassau. By then, Allan had also founded Teleios Ministries with the purpose of training Bahamians for Christian ministry without needing to leave their homeland. For several decades, Nancy was a long-time member of Calvary’s women’s bible study group and Helping Hearts prayer ministry. Allan loved having Nancy go with him on hospital visits because of her powerful and soothing prayer and scripture readings.

Nancy was able to reunite with many of her old friends and siblings who had also relocated to Nassau and also have easier access to travel back to her Long Island home and family. Nancy loved growing and nurturing orchids and other potted plants and flowers on the balconies of their Grosvenor Court condominium on Paradise Island across the bridge from Nassau. Nancy and Allan also enjoyed the arrival of three grandsons and three granddaughters through Tim and Allan Jr and regularly took them on outings to Wendy’s restaurant on Friday afternoons which their grandchildren excitedly looked forward to every week. She also enjoyed traveling for long visits with her daughters Cindy and Sandy who lived in Tallahassee, Florida and later, New Orleans (Sandy) and Tampa (Cindy).

No summary of Nancy’s life would be complete without mentioning her love for the color purple, her love of sports, scrabble, and her amazing ability to recite scripture and hymns. Famously, Nancy’s clothing were almost always various shades of light and dark purple along with purple nail polish and accessories. Sports also held a special place in her heart, even in her final days, tediously following the scores of her children and grandchildren’s favorite baseball and football teams. Scrabble was always found nearby on her coffee table or on her iPad as she played remotely with relatives and friends. She loved sending cards to family and friends filled with her own poems and words of encouragement as well as her favorite scripture verses often in purple writing.

In the late 2010s, Nancy and Allan began gradually transitioning from Nassau to moving permanently into their devoted daughter Cindy’s home in Tampa, Florida due to the challenges of aging, access to specialized medical care, and Allan’s pastoral retirement. Cindy graciously took on the role of primary healthcare manager and advocate for her parents. As Nancy’s health battles intensified within the last year, her calm, sweet, and gracious demeanor captivated her nurses and others who cared for her. Sandy (Denver) came to visit for extended months at a time, and Tim (Nassau), and Al (Salisbury, England) all spent extended weeks in support of their mother. Nancy also had a handful of visits from grandchildren and great-grandchildren as her time in this world was coming to an end. Her favorite scripture, Isaiah 41:10, were some of her final words to Allan in the early morning hours before she passed.Nancy is survived by her adoring and grieving spouse, Allan, her loving Children: Cindy, Sandy, Timothy (Julia), Allan Jr (Laura), Grandchildren: Brian, Maria, Hailey, Solomon, Noah, and Winter-Rose, and Great-grandchildren: Violet, Cora, Elliot, Ruby, and Lana. She is also survived by her Sisters: Violet (Winston) Cartwright, Hazel (Randolph) Wells, Brothers: Franklyn (Cheryl) and McKinley (Barbara) Wells, Sisters in Law: Valeria Cook, Wilhelmina(Mena) Griffiths, Cheryl(Cheri) Lee, Maria Wong Lee, Linda Lee, Brothers in Law: Henry Lee and John"Donnie"(Linda) Lee, Nieces:Victoria "Bessie' Fitzgerald, Cynthia (Michael) Cartwright, Alma (Ozzie) Cartwright, Angela (William) Darville, Kimberly (Neil) Knowles, Jacqueline Ritchie, Natalie (George) Swan, Christa (Keno) Burrows, Dominique (Kimani) Braithwaite, Kay(Tracy) Knowles, Heather(Arun) Garg, Julie(Ben) Benjelloun, Lana(Chris) Lee Brogden, Krystynia(Troy) Darville, Bianca Lee, Gina(Andrew) Knowles,  Nephews: Nathaniel Cartwright, Roderick and Jason Wells, Matthew Wells, Robert (Denise) Cartwright, Jonathan (Desiree) and Miguel (Telnear) Cartwright, Wayne (Samantha) Wells, Douglas Wells, Cameron Wells, Alex Wells, Glen Nixon, Stephen(Stevie) Nixon, Kirky Nixon, Barry Nixon, Ricky Nixon, David(Tania) Nixon, Chris Nixon, Gregory(Janet) Lee, William(Diana)Lee, David (Judy) Griffiths, Ian(Debbie) Lee, Shane(Erin) Knowles, Mark(Linda) Knowles,  Cousins: Miriam Knowles, Paul Knowles, Jerome (Janette) Cartwright, Asenath Cartwright, Janette and Billy Cartwright. Joy (Captain Roderick) Darville, Andrew Knowles, Sean Adderley, Kevin (Carolyn) Cartwright, Donnie (Ricardo) Treco, Jeffery (Lisa) Knowles, and Rosemarie "Twiggy" Rodgers. As well as scores of loyal friends all over the world. She was predeceased by her parents Hilda and Nathaniel Wells, brothers James and Sydney Wells, sisters Edna Fox and Rena Cartwright, and great-grandchild Blair Elise.

A celebration of life service to honor Nancy's life will be held at Calvary Bible Church on Collins Avenue in Nassau, Bahamas on November 23rd, 2024, at 1 PM, with a repass immediately following the service in the Earl Weech Auditorium. We will keep Nancy in our hearts forever until we meet again.