OBITUARY
Gary Lee
Photo, Provided by the Greta’s family
Greta Ann Lee
April 27, 1958 – Oct. 14, 2024
Greta Ann Lee, a beloved educator and mentor for generations of youth from Tulsa to Japan and many locales in between, passed on Oct. 14, 2024. She was 66.
Greta’s cause of death was complications associated with cancer, according to family members.
Greta was educated in Tulsa Public Schools and excelled in the classroom. The early foundation for learning paved the way for her to become a teacher in elementary school and preschool classrooms for much of her adult life.
At the peak of her career, Greta moved to Japan, where she lived and taught local school kids for more than four years. The pivot to life on the other side of the globe from her north Tulsa roots and immersion in Japanese culture would be one of the most impactful periods of Greta’s life.
Greta was born at Moton Hospital in north Tulsa on April 27, 1958, the fifth child of Fred and Elreatha Lee, a couple well integrated in their community. In naming her, Greta’s mother, Elreatha Lee, took her first name from a family friend and a shortened version of ReAnna, her paternal grandmother’s name for her middle name.
As a child and throughout her life, Greta found her comfort zone in quietude. Yet, wherever she moved, she made friends easily and forged close bonds, particularly in spiritual communities.
From an early age, Greta showed unusual artistic talents and a zeal for learning new things. She had a particular skill for drawing and graphics.
Greta was a pupil at public schools on the north side of Tulsa and graduated from Edison High School in 1976. She attended Langston University, Oklahoma’s only historically Black college. There, her interest in educating a younger generation was cemented. She graduated in 1982 with a degree in early childhood education.
Soon after graduation, Greta worked at Emerson Elementary School in Tulsa and public schools in Coffeyville, Kan. In 1987, she returned to Tulsa and taught fifth grade at William Penn, Gilcrease, and Hoover elementary schools. Her devotion to lifting younger generations with knowledge was remarkable. Many of Greta’s former students recall the impact she had on them.
Always eager to expand her skill sets, Greta began learning Japanese at Tulsa Community College in 1997. In 1998, she applied for and was accepted as an assistant language teacher at an elementary school in Utsunomiya, Japan.
She spent four years in Japan, helping pupils learn English. She assisted in developing lesson plans and aided in teaching about the differences and similarities between American and Japanese culture.
After returning to the U.S., Greta eventually resettled in Texas. She studied at the All-Nation’s School of Ministry in Houston, Texas, and earned an associate degree in ministry in 2010. She taught preschoolers at Houston KIdz, a church-affiliated school.
Besides teaching, the church was a constant centerpiece of Greta’s life. In early years, she attended Paradise Baptist Church, the place of worship for her family. Regular Sunday Bible School and Vacation Bible School were events that she looked forward to attending and participating. She later became a member of Antioch Baptist Church, where she learned under Rev. M. C. Potter.
When Greta moved to Texas, she engaged heavily in church worship and activities. She became active in street evangelism in Houston. She also joined missionary trips to Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador.
The care of family members was always crucial for Greta. She doted over and helped raise the three children of her younger sister, Freddyne Lee: Christian Bell, Candace Bell, and Xavier Jordan Lee. The lifelong teacher’s love of and mentorship of her nieces and nephew continued throughout her life. After returning to Tulsa from Texas in 2017, Greta became the caregiver to her mother, Elreatha Lee.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the family sheltered in their home in north Tulsa, Greta became the family’s breakfast maker. Her gourmet creations helped uplift her mother, brother, and sisters during the era’s challenges.
In her later years, Greta reached into the deep well of her faith. She often led the family in prayer and interpretations of the scripture. She filled many notebooks with reflections on the Bible and the lessons it brought to contemporary life.
Greta is survived by her mother, Elreatha Lee; two sisters, Erma Lee and Lisa Lee; and six brothers, Frederick Lee, David Lee, Gary Lee, Robert Lee, Anthony Lee, and Albert Lee (Marissa); nieces, Christian Bell Onyemali (Kingsley), and Candace Bell; nephew, Xavier Jordan Lee; and a large circle of aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. She was predeceased by her father, Fred Lee, and two sisters, Lilla Lee Jenkins and Freddyne Lee.
Services will be held at Gilcrease Hills Baptist Church, 2001 W. Newton St., in Tulsa, on Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. Rev. Beverly Baul, a longtime friend and spiritual advisor to Greta, will officiate. The family would like to express gratitude to Rev. Baul for her care extended to Greta.
Jack’s Memory Chapel will handle funeral arrangements. Greta will be interred at the family’s resting place – Doyle Cemetery near Haskell, Okla.
