Lee Ernest Brockington, son of the late Phenis Brockington, Sr. and Parnese Dunham Brockington Wiley, was born on May 8, 1957, in Sumter, South Carolina. He transitioned this life, after a courageous battle with the COVID-19 virus, on May 10, 2021, in Providence, Rhode Island.
In his early years, Lee became a member of Brown’s Chapel Baptist Church, in Sumter. He attended Sumter County public schools and graduated from Sumter High School in 1975. All through school, Lee was very athletic. He enjoyed playing pick-up basketball and football games with friends and neighbors in the community.
After graduating high school, Lee followed in his father’s professional footsteps and worked as a carpenter, in Sumter, until he moved to Rhode Island, where he began a career as a heavy equipment operator construction engineer. Throughout his 35-year career, Lee worked for several construction companies: Forte Bros. Construction, Todesca Construction, Cardi Construction, and Pawtucket Ready Mix. Lee was hardworking, professional at his craft, and a staunch union supporter. He joined the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 57, and remained actively involved with Local 57, even after a bout of illness forced him to retire early.
Lee unselfishly gave to his family and friends. Whenever anyone asked him for money or a place to stay, Lee freely gave his resources and opened his home, without question.
Lee was very social and loved to entertain. He was known for hosting themed parties and gatherings with those he loved. Above everything, his family and friends were important to him, and he valued the time he spent with them. Lee had an infectious sense of humor. He could make anyone laugh with his unique way of looking at the world and recounting the amusing side of things.
He loved football. And, despite their lackluster performance over the years, he was a big Dallas Cowboys fan. After he retired, if he was not watching the Cowboys play, he was either working on projects around the house, or cleaning. For Lee, everything had to be meticulous, clean, and undisturbed, in its place.
Lee was married to Patricia Nathaniel, for over 40 years, and was blessed with five children. He loved his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren more than anything, and always stressed to them the importance of being self-sufficient and successful in whatever they chose to do in life.
In addition to his parents, Phenis and Parnese, Lee was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Samuel Nathaniel, mother-in-law, Rosemell Nathaniel; five brothers, Jerry Dunham, Phenis Brockington, Jr., Joseph Brockington, Michael Brockington, and Orin Brockington; two sisters, Carrie Baten and Janice Boyd; a sister-in-law, Barbara Costa, and four brothers-in-law, Glen Nathaniel, Lavern Nathaniel, James Nathaniel and Mariam (Doug) Pringle.
He leaves to cherish his memories; his wife Patricia Nathaniel Brockington, one son, Ronald Nathaniel; four daughters, Latasha Nathaniel, LaKenya Nathaniel, Selina Nathaniel, Tamekia Nathaniel; ten grandchildren, Erik, Tysheed, Raekwon, Tyshon, Tahj, Lenaja, Jaren, Jordan, Tanyah, and T’Meyah; nine great- grandchildren; one brother, Velvet Brockington (Deborah), Baltimore, MD; one sister, Barbara Jean Brockington, Sumter, SC; Uncles, Fulton McFadden, Sumter, SC, David McFadden, Bronx, NY; three aunts Ola McFadden and Frances McFadden, Sumter, SC and Nancy McFadden, Providence, RI. Three brothers-in-law, Councilman Eugene Baten, Jesse Boyd, John Nathaniel, Larry Nathaniel; five sisters-in-law, Rosa Dunham, Hattie Brockington, Regina Brockington, Celina Brockington, and Susan Davis; nieces; nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 22nd from 11:00am - 12:00pm at Keefe Funeral Home, Five Higginson Ave., Lincoln, followed by funeral home service at 12:00pm. Burial is private. Relatives and friends are invited.