Lee, Nancy Jane
WATERFORD — Nancy Jane Lee, 80 of Second Street, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 14, 2020, surrounded by her loving family after gracefully losing her battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Born in Cohoes, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Alexandria Stanczyk Gabriel. She was a 1958 graduate of Cohoes High School. Upon graduation from high school, Nancy was employed by the state of New York until 1963. After raising her four beloved children, she became an entrepreneur and opened her own children’s shop which she successfully ran from 1991-1994. She was later employed at the Waterford-halfmoon Elementary School Library as an aide from 1994-2005, where she passionately and joyfully read stories to many young children of Waterford. While working full-time, Nancy received a teacher’s aide certificate from Hudson Valley Community College. Upon her retirement in 2005, Nancy fulfilled her greatest joy of becoming a full-time grandmother and never missed a piano recital, dance performance, soccer game, cheerleading event, or classroom story time. Though she had three grandchildren, she was "Gram" to many.
Nancy was the widow of John E. Lee Sr., whom she met roller skating at Guptil’s Arena in Latham in 1960 and married in 1961. He was the love of her life and they were married for 24 years before his sudden passing. She was the devoted mother of David J. Lee (Angela) of Waterford, Tammy J. Lee Phinney (David) of Groveland, Mass., Jennifer L. Morse (Robert) of Averill Park and the late John E. Lee Jr. She was the mother-in-law of Karleen Lee of North Carolina; sister of Carolyn Casey of Cohoes, the late Paul, Charles and George Gabriel, Eva Roy and Joanne Larson; and sister-in-law of Arleen Laplante of Clifton Park. She was the absolute proudest grandmother of Amanda Lee of Albany, DJ Lee (Sara) of Waterford, and Kelsey Phinney of Washington, D.C. Many nieces and nephews also survive.
Nancy’s children and grandchildren would like to specifically thank Lindsay, Grace, Jen, Melissa, Blush, and Olivia for lovingly caring for Nancy in her later years.
Relatives and friends may visit at the Philip J. Brendese Funeral Home, 133 Broad St (Rt 32) in Waterford on Friday, December 18, from 4-7 p.m. Per pandemic regulations, masks will be required and social distancing and occupancy limitations will be observed. Funeral services will be private.
Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Parkinson’s disease Association at apdaparkinson.org.
To express your sympathy or share a treasured memory, please visit www. brendesefuneralhome.com.