Lula "Gray" Lee

Lula Gray Lee, 74, of Timberlake, North Carolina, passed away at home surrounded by her family on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. She was born on July 7, 1950 in Lenoir County, NC.

Mrs. Lee worked in Quality Control at Nortel for over 30 years until her retirement. She was a strong and determined woman who earned her GED at 65 years old to show her family anything can be done.

Gray was one of the "Golden Girls" along with her sisters Linda and Fay, who lived at the Golden Girls Estate, where they spent so many wonderful times together.

Mrs. Lee loved gardening and enjoyed eating and sharing the fruits of her labor. She also loved decorating for all seasons, whether Christmas or a birthday, she just wanted to make everyone enjoy their time with each other. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. Gray will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and sibling. She will be deeply missed by everyone blessed to have known her.

Mrs. Lee is preceded in death by her father, Albert D. Sumner; twin sister, Fay Brown and sisters Linda Henderson and Cheryl Sumner.

Gray is survived by her mother, Ann Sumner; son, Robert Anthony; daughters, Kippy Woodlief (Dale) and Dawn Gordon and her fiancé David; brothers, Dale Sumner (Wylma) and Donnie Gower; sisters, Gayle Barker, Rita Stephenson, Terry Sarvis and Connie Bennett; grandchildren, Christina Johnson (Sam), Robert Anthony, III, Tylor Anthony, Jessica Anthony, Brandon Mitchell (Tammy), Jamie Boyd (A.J.), Courtney Purkiss (David) and Chelsea Lane (K.J.); 14 great grandchildren; loving dog, Sadie Mae and other loving family members and friends.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Friday, May 23, 2025 at Hudson Funeral Home, 211 S. Miami Blvd., Durham, NC 

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at Hudson Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Markham Memorial Gardens in Chapel Hill, NC. Rev. Avery Dalton will officiate.

Serving as Pallbearers will be Dale Woodlief, David Robinson, Brandon Mitchell, Jonathan Hawkins, Kevin Hamilton and Chad Hamilton.

Flowers are acceptable along with donations to Orange County Animal Services, 1601 Eubanks Rd, Chapel Hill, NC. 27516