REIDSVILLE - Minister James Charlie Lee, age 82, departed his earthly life on Friday, October 25, 2024 at Annie Penn Hospital.

Public viewing will begin on Friday, November 1, 2024 from 12 until 8 p.m. at McLaurin-Harris Funeral Home, 721 East Morehead Street, Reidsville, NC.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. at Zion Baptist Church, 807 Piedmont Street, Reidsville, NC. The family visitation will take place at 11 a.m. Pastor Marcus Fairley will preside and Pastor David Bracken, eulogist.

Military honors will be performed by the United States Army Honor Guard.

You may live stream the service via https://www.youtube.com/@McLaurin-Harris_Live

The entire service will also be posted on the McLaurin-Harris Funeral Home Facebook page.

Minister Lee was born in Reidsville, NC, on September 28, 1942 to the late Odessa Jones Lee and James Charlie Lee. At a very early age, "JC" as he was affectionately called, joined Zion Baptist Church where he served in several ministries including the Trustee Board, the Spiritual Choir, the Male Chorus, the Male Sunday School Class and the Audiovisual Team, of which he was a founding member. He later joined Jerusalem Baptist Church in Spencer, NC where he served as an Associate Minister as well as with the Male Chorus and the Men's Sunday School Class.

Educated in the public schools of Rockingham County, Minister Lee attended and graduated from the Booker T. Washington High School in 1960. He furthered his education earning his Associate Degree in Metal Heat Treatment at Rockingham Community College. After his call into the Ministry, James continued his education and earned Associate, Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. Degrees in Divinity under the leadership of Bishop Tyrone Hunter at the Living Epistle Bible College in Browns Summit, NC.

Serving honorably in the United States Army from 1962 until 1966 as a Demolition Expert with the 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell, KY, James also shared his beautiful tenor voice with many while singing in the Army Band. Once he returned home to Reidsville, he began singing with the El Dorados Band. The group sang up and down the East Coast and even sang backup for Gladys Knight and Patti Labelle before getting to sing on the famous Apollo stage in New York. "JC" was also employed at Tire Barn for a number of years, Carolina Commercial Heat Treatment and Walmart, Inc., from which he retired. An avid Carolina Panthers and Golden State Warriors fan, he spent his spare time "armchair coaching" and dissecting the football and basketball games. Additionally, he was an avid collector of Star Wars memorabilia, even assembling many of the miniature spaceship models in his collection.

In addition to his parents, Minister Lee was predeceased by brother, Willie Paul Lee; sisters, Rosie L. McNeal, Carrie L. Love, Gertrude Lee, Earlene L. Lewis, and Doretha Lee.

Those left to cherish precious memories are his loving wife of 30 years, Cynthia Oliphant Lee of the home; sons, William Lee of Reidsville, NC and JaBarda Jones (Shanik) of Browns Summit, NC; daughter, Nikki Wills of Browns Summit, NC; grandchildren, Willam Lee, Jr. of Greensboro, NC, Robbie Adams, Jeremiah Wills and Esther Wills, all of Reidsville, NC, JaQuan Jones, Jalyric Jones and Teika Carter, all of Browns Summit, NC; great-grandchildren, Sevyn Jones, Sapphire Carter, Emerald Carter, Sasuke Curry and Hinata Curry; sister, Sarah Lee Johnson, of Kileen, TX; brothers, Irvin Lee (Francis) of New Haven, CT and Robert Lee of Reidsville, NC; sisters-in-love, Peggy Oliphant of Reidsville, NC and Rita O. Wilson of Eden, NC; brother-in-love, Dan Oliphant, III of Beaumont, TX; godson, JaMar Falls of Greensboro, NC; special niece, Yolanda Blackstock Robertson of Kileen, TX; special cousins, Ida Reynolds and Jessie Mae Falls, both of Reidsville, NC and Janie Taylor of Greensboro, NC; cousins, nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and dear friends.

Service by McLaurin-Harris