Millie Lampley Lee

Millie Lampley Lee, born August 28, 1939 passed away on December 31st, 2021, at her home in Morehead City, North Carolina, surrounded by her loved ones.

A private Celebration of Life will be held for Millie & her husband, Dr. William J. Lee, who passed away on November 4th, 2021.

While her children were small, Millie decided she wanted to be a barber and attended school in Charlotte, becoming the first female barber in North Carolina.  She chose to be a barber because she said men were less picky and easier to please when it came to their hair.  After staying in that profession for many years, she wanted a change.  Having a love for flowers, especially orchids, she started small, built a greenhouse at her home, and within a few years opened her retail orchid business in Raleigh.  Her popularity spread and she became known far and wide as the Orchid Lady.  She continued to grow her business, founding and co-owning Atlantic Avenue Orchid and Garden Center in Raleigh.  She also continued to grow orchids in her greenhouses in both her Raleigh and Morehead City residences until her retirement.

Millie’s talent of orchid cultivation and design will live on through her many customers and employees.  She unselfishly shared her design techniques with her staff while blessing many customers with beautiful arrangements for their homes and businesses. She was loved by her customers for her talent and personality, freely sharing laughs and creativity with all those she came in contact with.

Millie was a creative and a beautiful person.  She lived her life to the fullest, she loved hard and expected the best of everyone around her.   She loved not only orchids, but all of nature, not to mention puzzles, slot machines and most importantly, animals.  Her biggest smiles were triggered by puppy dogs, her two sons and her family.  Her sons and daughters-in-law, sisters, sister-in-law and her special next-door neighbors, the Munden family (Phillip, Lisa, Lexi & Maggie), loved and cared for her during her battle with cancer.  What we remember most was her unconditional love and support for all of us, her excitement for life, her hilarious personality and most of all, her love for family and friends.   Millie was unique, she was different and she was special.

Millie is survived by her sons, Mark Lee and wife, Diana; Matthew Kuykendall and wife, Arsenia; two grandchildren, Chainey and Shonie Kuykendall; sisters, Cathy Ballard and husband, Jerry; Nancy Huckemeyer and husband, Merlin; Jane Rosen and fiancé, Joe; brother, Ray Lampley and wife, Kim; her puppy dog, Abbie and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Millie was predeceased in death by her husband, Dr. William J. Lee; her parents, Eugene & Nettie Lampley; her sister, Peggy Oglesby; and nephews Thomas Wayne Ballou, Jr., William David Ballou; niece, Kim Brazelton; uncles, Wiley Lampley, Jack Lampley and Lendon Lampley and her aunt, Mildred Brown.

Memorial contributions in memory of Millie and Bill may be made to the Carteret County Animal Shelter, 853 Hibbs Rd, Newport, NC 28570 or online https://cchsshelter.com/donate/

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.