Guest Editorial: W-S bids farewell to beloved ‘community mother’
Lefay, better known as Lee Faye Mack, passed away on Aug. 21, 2019. Her obituary, which is posted on Russell’s Funeral Service’s website, portrays many of the titles and responsibilities that depict a true community servant. Ms. Mack is referred to as:
*AkA Minister Lee Faye Mack- known to be a woman with fierce belief in the power of God
*Founder of Can You Hear The Cry Ministries
*Founder of the Back To Life Center
*Founder of “Mother Wit” Program
*AKA Mother of Churches: Dellabrook Presbyterian and True Temple Holiness
*AKA Community Mother
*Known as community activist since mid-‘60s
*Known for her advocacy for others, for standing in the gap when others could not stand for themselves
*Known for defending the defenseless
*Known for speaking truth to those in power
*One of the first women hired by Louise Wilson, Director of the Experiment in Self Reliance, to organize women in Winston-Salem
*Known as Mother of the Black Panther Party when she stood with the youth of our community in Winston-Salem
*Community organizer with the Winston-Salem Urban League
*Co-founder of the Winston-Salem Welfare Rights Organization
In an article written about her in the July 20, 1989 issue of The Chronicle, Ms. Mack was quoted as saying,
“People have been sitting in positions for years doing nothing. There are people sitting in big jobs in the name of helping the poor and they’re nothing but poor people’s pimps. They don’t like me for saying those things but that’s all right. It doesn’t bother me, because I feel I’m speaking the truth. What bothers me is when people hear the truth and won’t take heed.”
Ms. Mack led her life in such a way that “doing nothing” was not an option. She will be remembered and cherished for her many contributions to the Winston-Salem community.
Funeral services for Lee Faye Mack will be held at noon on Friday, Aug. 30, at Emmanuel Baptist Church. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family visitation will be held from 11 a.m. until noon on Friday at the church. The family requests that memorials be made to Carter G. Woodson School, 437 Goldfloss St., Winston-Salem, NC 27127.
