Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess Rebecca Ann (Lee) Newkirk, born to the late Theodore and Rebecca James Lee of Maple Hill. Rebecca was the baby of ten children. On Saturday March 6, 2021 Rebecca Ann (Lee) Newkirk peacefully transitioned to her eternal home. She was preceded in death not only by her parents, Theodore and Rebecca Lee, but also her daughter Tai’keya Janae Newkirk, three brothers Theodore Lee, Jr., James Lee and Robert Mosely, two sisters, Hattie Landrum, and Ruth Dobson.
Rebecca attended the Pender County Public School System, where she graduated in 1970 from Burgaw High School, Burgaw, NC. She later received her BA degree in Business from Eastern Nasarene College in Saratoga Springs, New York. She received her BA and Master of Biblical Studies at Macedonia Theological Seminary School in Queens, New York.
After high school, Rebecca relocated to Brooklyn, New York and began her career with AT&T, NYNEX, and retired from Verizon. Her career enhanced many homes in various locations to include Brooklyn, New York, Dumont, New Jersey, Tea Neck, New Jersey, Beverly, Massachusetts, Danvers, Massachusetts, Durham, North Carolina, Jacksonville, North Carolina, and Tampa, Florida.
Rebecca found her Prince, Mr. James Avon Newkirk, Sr. They united in marriage on May 14, 1978. From this union, two children were born: James Avon Newkirk, Jr. and the late Tai’keya Janae Newkirk.
Rebecca joined Lee’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Maple Hill, NC as a young child and served faithfully until she later moved to New York. Upon her arrival in New York, she joined Grace Baptist Church of Christ, Brooklyn, New York under the leadership of Rev. Jacob Underwood. She served faithfully and genuinely loved her church and the members there. As she returned home and reunited with her home church at Lee’s Chapel she was ordained as Trustee and served dutifully until her health failed.
Princess Rebecca will be missed by many! She was a jewel to her community. Rebecca was a Godfearing woman who highly believed that “Prayer changes things” We all know that she was a walking miracle. Rebecca had a heart of gold, she was a natural born giver. She was always a blessing to others. She has always opened her doors to help others, from finding jobs to even giving them a place to stay until they got on their feet. Rebecca will truly be missed by all!
Survivors include her husband James Avon Newkirk, Sr. Rockville Centre, NY, her son, James Avon Newkirk, Jr. Brooklyn, NY, two grandchildren Jade Rebecca Newkirk and Jameson Avon Newkirk, Bronx, NY, two brothers, Ernest (Margie) Lee, Maple Hill, NC, Joseph (Glenda) Lee, Maple Hill, NC, three sisters, Doris Lee Jordan, Hannah Callie Green and Geraldine Pickett all of Maple Hill, NC, Sister-in-law, Oglatha (Charlie) Banks, Burgaw, NC, Uncle Jerry (Leora) Lee, Maple Hill, NC, Special Cousin, Sandy Jerome Shepard, Maple Hill, NC, four God Children, Pkeitha Bannerman, Brooklyn, NY, C. Antowan Pickett, Dallas, TX, Tai’keya Lee, Maple Hill, NC, Doneisha Dobson, Hempstead, NY and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
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