Effie's Angel

Effie L. Hopper Lee died April 26, 2019, of a debilitating disease called Lewy Body Dementia. But she did not die alone. Along with the company and comfort provided by family and friends, Effie had a special angel watching over her. Effie’s Angel is the inspiration for this website and a new book by the Rev. A. Ray Lee.

Effie was a special person, whose life touched many students and friends around the world. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 6, 1937, to Merle Charles and Veronica Rogers Hopper. Following graduation from Florida Southern College and Escuela de Idiomas in Costa Rica, she served as a missionary in Cuba from 1959 to 1960 with the United Methodist Foreign Mission Board.

Upon return to the United States, she married her husband of 58 years.  Effie taught English and Spanish in the Decatur City School System in Alabama.  She traveled extensively and for many years took groups of Decatur High students on trips to Europe, and Central and South America.  After retiring from Decatur High School, she taught Spanish at Decatur Heritage Christian Academy.  Upon her retirement from Decatur Heritage, she volunteered extensively in the local Hispanic community providing language and translation services to many civic and private organizations.

She had a heart for ministry whether she was serving on the foreign mission field or as a pastor’s wife.  Rev. and Mrs. Lee made several mission trips to Barcelona, Spain, with teams that were instrumental in the building of La Iglesia de Cru Alta outside of Barcelona.