Leaders, constituents pay respects Sheila Jackson Lee
Loved ones, leaders and constituents made the trip to Houston City Hall on Monday to pay their respects to late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
HOUSTON – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is lying in state at Houston City Hall. She is the second person to receive this honor. Esteemed heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey was also remembered in this way.
Houstonians have been lining up all day to pay their respects.
SUGGESTED: Sheila Jackson Lee lies in state at Houston City Hall rotunda
Since 9 a.m. Congresswoman Jackson Lee’s constituents and colleagues have been going by to honor her. Her two adult children, Erica and Jason Lee, her husband Dr. Elwyn Lee, and even Tina Knowles, joined Houston Mayor John Whitmire for a special ceremony on Monday morning.
She is a long-time and well-loved Congresswoman who advocated for and touched countless lives.
The Congresswoman’s casket is draped by an American flag as she’s honored at city hall in the rotunda, following her death on July 19, 2024, after battling pancreatic cancer.
“I want Erica and Jason to know, Houstonians from every corner thank you for allowing the Congresswoman to be away from home, and you understand as well as I do her commitment to public service. God does not allow us to choose when we lose a loved one, a friend or a colleague, but he does allow us to celebrate their life, and pay our respect and honor them,” said Whitmire.
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“Her shadow far exceeded the boundaries of the 18th Congressional District in Houston, Texas. America loves her because America trusted her, and she would be the voice wherever she was, speaking for those who are voiceless. For me, it’s personal. Sheila was a sister to me. My children call her Auntie Sheila, for real. She sat at our dinner table with my parents and children. So, it’s a family loss. No matter your party, no matter your color, your religious persuasion, Sheila Jackson Lee had a heart for all to fit into it,” says Houston NAACP President Bishop James Dixon.
“It’s hard to believe she’s not here. She’d pop into the church every several months. Of course, you’d see her all over town. It just seems like it happened too fast. She was really an amazing woman. We all have different views on things. I can’t say we agreed on everything, but we agreed with her heart to help others,” said Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen.
“I was telling somebody earlier, I said, if they had the Olympics for elected officials, she’d always win the gold medal. I think any good adjective you could use to describe her would be an understatement,” adds Rep. Harold Dutton.
SUGGESTED: Funeral arrangements for late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee announced
“She lived her entire life showing us what servant leadership is, and it’s a sad moment for me and for our city, but her legacy lives on,” says Houston resident Jay Bradley.
“To me, it’s unbelievable. She’s someone I thought would be here forever,” says Houston resident Geraldine Sanchez.
“She just loved people of all races. She really and truly did, and she tried to do something for everybody,” says Houstonian Sherry Browning.
“For my entire life, as far as I can remember, Sheila Jackson Lee has been in the community at the forefront ensuring our communities are well served, and so I wanted to make sure I paid my respects one last time,” explains Brian Roberson.
“Sheila Jackson Lee was not only a great American and a real treasure for the city of Houston, but for me, she was a personal friend as a young attorney, advocating for families and fighting for Houstonians. She would give us, when I say us, as a movement of young organizers and protesters, she would give us wisdom and guidance like a big sister. She’s going to be dearly missed. It’s a huge loss at a time that we are going to enter into a battle for a lot. I would love to see Sheila Jackson Lee fighting to put the first Black woman in office. I know she wanted to be a part of that fight, but I know her message, her spirit, her strategy and her commitment will be part of that as she passes that on to each of us,” says Civil Rights Attorney Lee Merritt.
“She earned her reward. She earned her wings. She is now in Heaven. She’s going to be truly missed,” Sanchez adds.
After holding her seat for 30 years, it’s hard for many to imagine congress without Sheila Jackson Lee.
She will lie in state at Houston City Hall until 7 p.m.
The Congresswoman is a graduate of Yale University, and holds a law degree from University of Virginia. She was also a Houston City Council Member.
The Congresswoman was 74-years-old.
