Annette Lee

At the age of 84, Annette Lee died December 2, 2025, being loved on and cared for in her home, where she always enjoyed hosting friends and family and could throw a party on a whim. A service will be held at St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., followed by a reception in the Parish Hall.

Annette's sacred story is still being written, but the highlight reel began when she was born to James and Marilea Lee in Baker, Florida in 1941. They, and her beloved younger brother, Dick Lee, have gone before her. Her sister, Jan Walters and her husband, Kent Walters, carry on with grace and dignity. Growing up in rural north Okaloosa County, Annette graduated from Crestview High School, where she was voted "Best All Around", sparkled as a majorette, and played the clarinet in the early version of the "Great Red Machine". She continued as one of the Marching Chiefs at Florida State University and remained a Seminole fan for all seasons.

As the mother of Michelle Anchors, Laurie Curles, and Rusty Anchors, she had her hands full, but still obtained her master's degree in Public Administration while working full time. From her beginnings as a teacher at Edwins Elementary School, her work with special needs students, and her foray into administration, Annette was fiercely dedicated to public education. She served as the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in the Okaloosa County School District. Though hers was a challenging job, her relentless quest was to find the best teachers and personnel to support the strongest educational system in the state. She was most proud to join her close friends, Jo Henderson and Terri Roberts, in founding Liza Jackson Preparatory School, a place committed to creating a "caring community of learners".

Annette came from fresh water and settled in salt water. She delighted in scalloping, shelling, crabbing, and star gazing. She could ski on snow and on water. She liked her sauces rich and her martini dry. She danced when the music was good. She had her own brand of frying okra and shucking oysters and would eat chocolate pie for breakfast. She played the piano like she dressed -- with pizzazz! She wore out the clutch on her Army jeep that she drove just for fun, and she drove her purple Jeep Wrangler with the top down until she was 80 years old.

Her grandchildren, Wesley Garner Curles and his wife, Beeka, Anna Lee Upton and her husband, Carl, Mary Frances Curles, Samuel Anchors Medina, and Chi Anchors Medina, call her "Nett Nett". During summer break, they each got their own private enrollment at "Camp Nett Nett", where the itinerary consisted of doing absolutely anything they wanted, whether it was parasailing with her, feasting at her regular table at Pandoras, or painting rocks.

She was grateful for her extraordinary pack of friends, Lee cousins, extended family members, Steve Medina, Patrick Curles, Robin Anchors, and the family of Jimmy Sherrod. If you desire to remember Annette with a contribution, she cared deeply about the work of Children in Crisis, Inc. and St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church.

Annette Lee lived well, loved well, and left well. Thanks be to God.