Black Catholic heroes: Florence W. Lee

Florence W. Lee

A native of New Orleans, Florence W. Lee, who died last Nov. 24 at the age of 94, grew up in Corpus Christi Parish, where her parents worked hard to give their children a Catholic education. She later became a 60-year parishioner at St. Peter Claver Parish.

Lee was salutatorian at Xavier University Preparatory in 1944, and in 1948, she became the first member of her family to attain a college degree, graduating magna cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana.

She and her husband Thomas had four children, but even when her husband died, she ensured that they received the best education possible.

She worked at the Housing Authority of New Orleans, the Knights of Peter Claver, the Treme Cultural and Enrichment Center and the Corpus Christi Parish Credit Union. Her compassionate but no-nonsense approach to her work earned the love of community members and the respect of her peers.

Her second family was the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary (KPCLA), where she was elected Supreme Lady in 1970, and her six-year tenure coincided with the women’s rights movement. She pushed for more equitable representation by the Ladies in constitutional, operational and financial matters within the organization.

At St. Peter Claver, Lee gave her time, talent, and treasure to numerous church and school organizations and ministries. She was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal from Pope Paul VI and the Order of St. Louis King of France medallion for outstanding service to the Archdiocese of New Orleans and her parish.