Thomas Lee was assigned to a “spy” unit of the United States Air Force but when he returned home from a deployment it was his wife Susie (“Kitty”) who provided the espionage. Not happy with the crawly slithery creatures of Orlando Florida, she had moved- not that far away but the primitive communications of the 1950’s made her whereabouts initially a mystery. Soon reacquainted ,they remained married for 65 years.
Such was the nature of Susie (“Kitty”) Kathryn Lee, born April 15, 1935 in her beloved Windsor, North Carolina and heavenly reuniting with Thomas January 2, 2025.Her military marriage was a journey that flowed from Florida into Texas, through Arizona into California, back to North Carolina and finally to their third Virginia home, where they spent their retirement years.
Kitty’s adventuresomeness was as fiery as her red hair and her exploits included coming face to face with John Wayne on a movie set and taking in concerts from heartthrobs Tom Jones and(twice) Englebert Humperdink.
A stout work ethic was evident in her approach to waiting tables, working on an assembly line or managing a motel staff. Her proudest such endeavor was keeping intact a newspaper route wherein hundreds of customers’ whimsy’s were all met. At home, she manned a mean tiller. Her vegetable gardens overflowed and rose bushes became showstoppers under her hand.
A woman of robust spirituality, Kitty loved to follow the Billy Graham and Jimmy Swaggert ministries. She regaled in the gospel music of the Bill and Gloria Gaither organization and the Faith Good Will Church of Smithfield. All within earshot heard her constant recommendations to “Put God first” and to live “One day at a time.”
She is preceded in death by Thomas and son Colon Lee. Survivors include son Timothy Lee , his wife Linda Sprinkle, daughter Liz and her husband Glenn Hrinda. Grandchildren are Amy and Alex Granville, their children Eli, Rowan and Lily; Rachel and Ren Dichoso; Joshua and Shannon Hrinda, their children Silas,Holly and Peter;Hannah and Joe Faith, their children Jonas and Nala; and Zachery and Amber Hrinda,Eloise.
