Page 7 - NYCD Honoree Luncheon Journal_2019 (3)

system. Melvin and Shelia’s daughters produced four sons: Aubrey, Cornelius, Daniel and Donnie.
Drawing upon his various educational experiences, Melvin sought and was hired by the City of New York,
overseeing restoration work of historic brownstone communities in Brooklyn, and later moved into the
Department of Environmental Protection. During his professional civil servant tenure, Melvin served as
the President of Chapter 13 Civil Service Technical Guild, Local Chapter 375, DC37, American
Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the American Federation of Labor
and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), which covered over 250 professional men and
women architects and engineers. After thirty years of honorable service, Melvin retired as an Assistant
Architect for the City of New York. Spiritually, Melvin grew up in Naomi African Methodist Episcopal
Zion Church, located in Coney Island, New York, from the time he was three years old to the present.
Through the years, his biblical and spiritual development was strengthened from its pastors, members,
relatives, and friends. He faithfully served God, the church, and people in the community. He served at
Naomi A.M.E. Zion Church as Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Class Leader # 6; President of Usher
Board #2; and as an Instructor to the New Members Class. He was appointed as Director of the Men of
Zion and the Feasibility Committee. He served as the President on the former Brooklyn District Lay
Council for several years. He served on the Transitional Board, which constructed the contiguous districts,
leading to the Brooklyn District being renamed the New York City District. He continues to be a devoted
and committed servant to our God, supporting the Methodist faith and all of God’s people in our
community and the world.

WILHELMINA SINGLETON LEE

Wilhelmina Singleton Lee, born in Sumter, South Carolina to Thomas and Susan
Singleton. Wilhelmina was brought to New York when she was 5 years old. She
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attended P.S. 93 from kindergarten to 8 grade. She graduated from Girls High
School in Brooklyn in 1957. She became employed with the City of New York at
the Bureau of Child Welfare in 1957. Since then she has worked herself up the
ranks to Supervisor, Assistant Office Manager, Center Based Trainer, Staff
Development Coordinator and presently has the distinction of being the longest
working employee in the NYC Human Resources Administration, Department of Social Services.
Wilhelmina has been active in the missionary society since she was in the Buds of Promise under the
leadership of Mrs. Augusta Barrow Latham. She was a “Y” Missionary until the newly established Parent
Body No.2 was created under the late Bishop R. L. Speaks, then Pastor. She has remained active with
Parent Body One, joining under the late Sister Mary Bass, the Parent Body President. She was active with
the Christian Education Department since a youth and last served the Board as Treasurer. She served as
an Assistant Superintendent of Buds to Sister Vivian I. Steele in the ‘60’s. and was later appointed by the
late Bishop Reuben Lee Speaks as local Buds Superintendent where she served from 1971 until 2017.
She was appointed a Class Leader in the 1970s and is currently still active. She serves her local church
as President of the local Lay Council, on the NYC District she was the Second Vice-President and for two
years served as First Vice-President of the New York Annual Conference Lay Council. In the community
she served as Treasurer of the Brooklyn Christian Endeavor Society Union and worked with the Fresh Air
Fund to send children to summer camp for over 30 years. She coordinated the Angel Tree Project at First
Church for several years with the Buds and the Soup Kitchen. Wilhelmina facilitated various workshops
on “Domestic Violence and the Church” for the World Federation of Methodist and United Church
Women State Region, the Baptist Church Women’s Conference, the NYC District Missionary Mass
meeting under Sister Shirley M. McCoy, the Youth Conference of Christian Education and NY
Conference Lay Academy. She has spoken for Women’s Day Services, Missionary Anniversaries, Special
Youth Services and other occasions around Zion and in the community. She loves to travel, especially
wherever Zion is meeting. She has travelled to our overseas conferences in East & West Ghana, Liberia,
England and Bahamas over the years. She was appointed by Bishop William M. Smith to serve a
Quinquennial with the World Methodist Council in Mrs. Alcestis Coleman’s stead from 1990-1996. She
graduated from Queens College in June 2005 with a Master of Science Degree in Urban Affairs. She