Darrell A. Lee, Providence, Rhode Island, went to his heavenly home on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the age of 67 after an extended illness.

Darrell was born on December 21, 1957, to Ronald F. Lee Sr. and Gloria (Harvey) Lee in Coatesville, PA.

A native of Philadelphia, PA, Darrell attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (1975 to 1977); received his B.A. in Economics from Swarthmore College (1980); and completed his graduate management education at the MIT Sloan School of Management (1988). Since that time, he held board positions with various community-based, health care, academic, and ecumenical organizations in the New England area.

On August 8, 1988, the day of his graduation from MIT Sloan School of Management, Darrell met the love of his life, Linda, whom he married on November 13, 1994. He was the loving father of Darrell Glover, Philadelphia, PA; the late Derek Glover, Philadelphia, PA; Stello D’Anna, Albion, ME; and Jason D’Anna, Providence, RI.

Darrell began his work in the corporate sector in June 1980 with AT&T, IBM, and Wang Laboratories. In July 1987, he founded Frontier Research and Planning Associates that provided organizational strategic planning, market research and planning, economic impact analysis, health center development, and grant funding. In March 2001, Darrell established BCOG Planning and Development and expanded services into the areas of mixed-use and residential real estate development, economic revitalization, historic mill building renovation, and community rebuilding initiatives that have provided a visible and sustained positive impact in cities located in states such as Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Illinois. He was the founder of the Prairie Avenue Revitalization Initiative announced in March 2006 and designed to attract $300 million of private, governmental, and philanthropic investment into the lowest-income neighborhood in the city of Providence, Rhode Island. Given his expertise in the areas of strategic planning, real estate development, and economic impact analysis, Darrell was a frequent presenter at national and regional community health center conferences in multiples states across the nation.

Darrell was a man of deep faith imbued with a fervent desire to serve the Lord. He was an active member of St. Paul’s AME Church, Cambridge, MA, where he served in the Men’s Choir and organized Men’s Day events. At People’s AME Church in Chelsea, MA, Darrell assisted his friend, the late Pastor David Mayo, in his efforts to grow the church and conduct street ministry. After relocating to Rhode Island, Darrell attended, along with his wife Linda, the school of ministry at Faith Christian Center in Seekonk, MA, where they also served as Connect Group leaders, holding monthly meetings for church members in their home. For several years, Darrell volunteered at the medium security Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institution where he led inmates through a faith-based curriculum designed to prepare men for a successful re-entry into the community. During this time, he wrote a book for inmates that he was preparing to publish at the time of his unexpected passing.

When he wasn’t conjuring up ideas for new initiatives to help the communities in which he served, Darrell loved spending time with his family. A natural-born chef with a gift for creating tantalizing dishes, Darrell could take the humblest of ingredients and make something truly special. In the summertime, he gathered the family together in his backyard or seaside at Colt State Park for his “Family Fiesta” where guests enjoyed good food, great music, and each other’s company. He loved playing Scrabble on lazy Sunday afternoons, dining on fish and chips at a favorite eatery, and spending long weekends in coastal Maine with his wife Linda. And during football season, you would find Darrell in his living room, rooting for his home team, the Philadelphia Eagles, while enjoying a scrumptious Sunday brunch with Linda and son Jason.

Darrell is survived by his faithful brothers Ronald and Geneva Lee, Coatesville, PA, and Edward and Yvonne Lee, Sharon Hill, PA. Darrell was predeceased by his beloved brother Paul Lee, Coatesville, PA. He was the loving grandfather of Tamaiah Glover, Philadelphia, PA, and is also survived by a multitude of loving nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Darrell A. Lee, a brilliant, magnanimous soul who loved his family and worked tirelessly on his mission to build thriving communities and improve the lives of the underserved, will forever be with the Lord.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Keefe Funeral Home, 5 Higginson Avenue, Lincoln, RI, 02865.

A funeral service will be celebrated for Darrell at the Iglesia Vision Evangelica Church, 1014 Broad Street, Providence, RI, at 10:00 AM on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Interment will take place at Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, RI, 02906.

The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the wonderful staff of the Miriam Hospital, who took exceptional care of Darrell during his illness.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN (www.stjude.org).