Bill, Chris, Nikki and boys
We have fond memories of our get togethers and Myrtle Beach trips with Terri and Bill. Our “Polish Princess” will be greatly missed.
LEE, Terry
1947 - 2025
Terry Lee
December 30, 1947 – July 2, 2025
Terry Lee passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, grit, and grace. Born in Germany on December 30, 1947, Terry emigrated to Ottawa, Canada in the 1950s with her mother Krystyna, father Karol, and younger brother Mike—arriving in a new country with little more than determination and a fierce sense of family.
Those early years, lived with frugality and resilience, shaped her deeply. As Terry found success in her career, she never forgot where she came from. Giving back to her family became her quiet mission. She was the kind of person who would start her Christmas shopping in March—not out of impatience, but because she took such joy in finding the perfect gift for each person she loved. She gave with intention, wrapped in care, and always with that unmistakable spark in her eyes.
Small in stature but impossible to miss, Terry had a spitfire personality and a heart that beat loud and proud for the people she loved. Her friends lovingly called her their “pit bull”—fiercely loyal, endlessly protective, and never one to back down when it mattered. If Terry was in your corner, you were never standing alone.
She brought that same fire to her career. As one of the few women in leadership roles during the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s, Terry walked boldly into workplaces that weren’t always ready to welcome her—but she made space anyway. With grit, intelligence, and grace, she proved herself not just an equal, but someone to follow. She made sure her son, Chris, grew up knowing that women don’t just belong at the table—they often build it.
Although Terry had just one son by birth, her heart made room for many more. Chris’s close friends and Nikki’s siblings quickly became her “adopted” children, wrapped into the family as naturally as if they’d always been there. And when those friends and siblings had children of their own, Terry welcomed them as adopted grandchildren—with the same love, care, and joy she gave to her own. Her family was as wide as her heart.
In softer moments, her friends affectionately called her the “Polish Princess”—a playful, proud reflection of her heritage and the elegance she carried with her. She had style, edge, and a sense of humor that could disarm even the toughest of days. Whether she was delivering a one-liner, offering a word of encouragement, or wrapping a gift with quiet joy, she did it all with her whole heart.
Terry is survived by her devoted husband of 54 years, Bill; her beloved son, Chris, and daughter-in-law, Nikki; her cherished grandchildren, Greyson and Mackenzie; her brother Mike (Kathy), with whom she shared a close and loving bond; and her brother John (Kristina), who remains part of the family’s enduring story. She also leaves behind countless extended family members, adopted children, and grandchildren who knew her as something more than a friend: they knew her as home.
She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, a leader, and a fierce friend. Her passing was sudden, and the loss is profound—but her legacy lives on in every life she touched, every lesson she passed down, and every heart she helped shape.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Anyone who would like to attend is invited to email rememberingterrylee@gmail.com to be added to a distribution list for the forthcoming invitation.
The family is not requesting flowers or donations. Instead, they ask that you honour Terry’s memory by paying something forward to a stranger—whether that means helping someone in need, donating to a favourite cause, or simply extending kindness where it’s needed most.
If you do something in her honour, the family would love to hear about it. Please feel free to share your act of kindness by emailing rememberingterrylee@gmail.com. These stories will be collected and included in a slideshow at her Celebration of Life—so Terry can continue to inspire others, just as she always did.
Write your sympathies or tribute