Birth Date:
1915-01-29
Deceased Date:
2016-03-29
Obituary:
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: (Ecclesiastics 3:1)
A time to be born - Evelyn Gist Lee was born in Union, SC on January 29, 1915. She was the fourth child of James Edward Gist and Emma Glenn Gist. She grew up in rural Union, SC and attended the county school system. At the age of 20 she gave birth to her son, Max Gallman Jr, which began 80+ years of devotion as a matriarch to her son and her extended family.
A time to plant - Evelyn moved to Raleigh, NC, near the end of The Great Depression, because she wanted to take advantage of employment opportunities for her and educational possibilities for her son. She obtained employment with the U.S. Army Quarter Master Corps where she participated in maintaining Housing supplies. At the conclusion of World War II, she began her employment with Jones Sausage Company and worked there for many years. She married Eddie Lee, Jr in the late 1950’s.
A time to nurture- Evelyn decided to move to New Jersey, after her husband’s death, to live closer to her son and his family in 1961. She began employment as a Nurse’s Assistant at Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York. The school was a state-supported institution for children with intellectual disabilities and Evelyn demonstrated compassion, nurturing, and support to the residents for almost 20 years until she retired in 1979.
A time to worship- Mother Lee committed her life to Jesus Christ at a young age and consistently and passionately served her Lord. Any conversation that she had which lasted more than a few minutes would turn to things related to trusting The Lord. She would frequently quote one of her favorite Bible verses (Acts 1:8), “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Whenever she moved to a new area one of the first things that she did was to locate and join a Bible-believing church. She served on usher boards, church choirs, or other ministries within each of her church homes. She joined 8th Street Baptist Church, in Griffin, GA, in 1995 and served there until her health prevented her from serving any longer.
A time to embrace- Evelyn was unwavering in her independence consequently she lived by herself and personally maintained her 30ft by 40ft garden until she was 97 years old. She was always willing to try new things. She often said, “you never know what you can’t do until you try.” For several years she enjoyed deep sea fishing. She also traveled to places like the Caribbean and Europe but her true passion was gardening. Her passion for gardening would make her light up with joy whenever she talked about gardening.
A time to weep- Mother Lee’s long life meant that her parents, all of her siblings (Johnnie, Lillie, Aileen, and Jimmy), grandson in law (Addison Jones), and a multitude of other relatives and close friends predeceased her.
A time to love- “Ma Ma” Evelyn always demonstrated unconditional love to her son and his family. She is survived by her devoted son, Max (Claudette) Gallman; her 3 grandchildren, Rev. Bryan (Roz) Gallman, Renee Gallman-Jones, Anthony (Renee) Gallman; great grandchildren, Reggie Phillips, Josh Gallman, Sydney Hill, Jonathan Jones, Gabriela Jones, Braden Gallman, Brenna Gallman; great great grandchild, Janiyah Gallman; a host of nieces and nephews; and 2 dedicated friends, Ms. Elnora Tank and Ms. Lizzie Ruth Wyatt.
A time to die- Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15) Evelyn entered Heaven’s gates on March 29, 2016 and transitioned into relief from life’s struggles, reward for a faithful life, and rejoicing the blessings of eternity in the presence of her Savior. Christian love, faith in God, obedience to His precepts, selfless sacrifice, and a persistent prayer life are examples she left us of how life should be lived