More than 300 costumes would hang on wire throughout Sandra Lee’s East Maitland home in the lead up to ballet concerts.
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Most of them had delicate detailing and would take her a day, or a couple of days, to make and when it was time to hand them over she didn’t like to charge too much. She wasn’t in it for the money, she wanted to help and make a difference.
Determined is the word that hangs on the lips of those who knew the kind-hearted volunteer who moved to Maitland in 1958 when she married Fred.
She died on August 11 after a battle with cancer and was farwelled at Maitland Town Hall on Thursday where more than 300 people had gathered to celebrate her life.Her casket was carried through a Red Cross guard of honour while friends, who held yellow flowers, watched on.
Mrs Lee volunteered with Mai-Wel, Meals on Wheels, the Literary Institute and spent 10 years as president of Maitland-Beresfield Red Cross. She ran the Red Cross coffee shop at Maitland Private Hospital and made clothes and accessories for premature babies that were sold at the baby boutique in Maitland Hospital.
A cancer diagnosis couldn’t separate her from her community work – or her love of the gym – and the Red Cross group would hold their meetings in her home when she was feeling sick so she could be part of the proceedings.“She enjoyed doing all of it and she met a lot of people through her community work,” her son Chris said.
“She was determined to lend a hand, she never thought ‘I should help, she just got in and did it,” her daughter Darlene added.
Animals were also a huge part of her world and she adored her two cats Whiskas and Fluffy. She would buy two kilograms of mince meat every week to feed the magpies that visited her home and would share it with other birds who came along.
Her costume legacy came after Darlene started ballet with Daphne Parker in 1970.
“Her and Daphne Parker were a good team – mum could sew and Daphne was so creative and came up with costume ideas,” Chris said. “She was a perfectionist,” Darlene added.
Anyone who would like to share photos of Sandra’s costumes can email them to lowerhunter@fairfaxmedia.com.au
