Eaver Mae Lea

Eaver Mae Lea was born April 2, 1929 in Smithdale, Mississippi to the late Ernest and Emma Swington. From this union, she was second of five children – Joseph, Ruby, Queen Ester, and Flora.

God blessed Eaver with a wonderful and loving husband, Milton Lea Sr. They were married on August 10,1946 in Liberty, Mississippi and relocated to Milwaukee, WI. This great union continued for fifty-five years and resulted in the birth of twelve spirited and loving children and blossomed into an amazing Fami-LEA full of…fun, beautiful, sassy, competitive, creative, spiritual advisors…Crazy, silly, serious, entrepreneurs, actors, actresses, musicians, teachers, real estate agents, event planners, law enforcement officers, firemen, dancers, fashion designers, seamstresses, cosmetologists, mothers, fathers, interior designers, carpenters, gardening geniuses and beauty queens. Eaver was very supportive and encouraged all of her children, grandchildren, great-grands and great-great grands, to be “whatever they wanted to be”.

While a devoted mother, Eaver was also a working mother. Working at National Convalescent, Jackson Center Nursing Care Facility and in her later years as a Foster Grandparent. She became the official “Queen Bee” of the family – a true matriarch in her own right. She left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She was gifted with hands of many talents and possessed a love and a passion for gardening, sewing, crocheting, quilting and raising her children.

Church was always an important part of her life. She was an active member of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend John C. Weatherall. Of the many things she loved, most of all she loved God and her family.

Eaver Mae Lea transitioned from this earthly life to meet her Heavenly Father in glory on February 18, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by her husband Milton Lea, Sr., daughters Patricia and Vanessa, brother Joseph, and sisters Ruby Allen and Queen Ester Rubin. They all await her arrival at the “Pearly Gates.”

She leaves to cherish her memory, daughters, Imogene Lea-Burton, Lorraine (Sage), Sonya, Connie (Jeff), Wendy (Rodney), Cara, Dionne (Keith) and sons, Milton Jr., Howard, Timothy (Eulonda), Torrey (Kai), 20 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, 13 great-great grandchildren, one sister, Flora Swington of Chicago, Illinois, and a host of nieces, nephews, loved ones and friends.

Of this we can say of Eaver Mae Lea: She lived the life she loved, and she loved the life she lived. All who knew her are comforted in knowing, “It is well, it is well with her soul!” May she live forever in our hearts!

Visitation at Krause Funeral Home, 21600 West Capitol Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM. Funeral Service at 11:00 AM.