Obituary of Pauline Bonham Lee

Pauline (Bonham) Lee, one of seven children of Thomas and Bonnie Bonham, graduated from Jonesville High School in Jonesville, VA in 1938. A year later, she was recruited as part of a New Deal jobs program to come to Washington DC and work at S & W Cafeteria on Capitol Hill. Following the outbreak of WWII, with an increased need for women to work in the federal government, Pauline applied for a job at the Federal Housing Administration. She was hired and began work as a GS-1 file clerk. During this time, Pauline roomed at a boarding house owned and operated by the mother of David G. Lee, whom she met, dated, and subsequently married in 1943. After the war, she continued to work at FHA until the birth of her first son, Bruce, in 1951. A second son, Dwight, followed in 1953, and Pauline stayed home as a full-time mother until 1959, by which time both children were enrolled in elementary school. After returning to her previous job at FHA, which later became part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Pauline continued to excel at her work and was regularly promoted. She was a working mother at a time when this was a relative rarity. Her steady income relieved financial stress for the family and allowed them to enjoy a higher standard of living than had she remained at home. A strong, independent, and caring woman, Pauline always sought to provide for her family first and foremost. She was frugal with her personal spending, yet could be generous to a fault if anyone in her family needed funds. She wanted her children to enjoy opportunities she never experienced growing up during the Depression, so she encouraged them to take music lessons, join in organized sports activities, and pursue higher education. Her tireless devotion to both her young sons' enthusiasm for sports - driving them back and forth to practices, and attending as many games as she could, even while she had other responsibilities at home and at work - is typical of the precious time she spent sharing their dreams. Her children were never lacking of her love for them. She was an exceptional cook, specializing in the Southern style, and her home-made desserts were always the most prized items at any charity bake sale or social gathering where food was on the table. Her sons recall her coming home from work each evening, quickly changing into her house clothes, and going straight to the kitchen to prepare supper for the family - always fresh and home-made! With her gregarious nature and cheerful personality, Pauline loved being part of a group and attracted friends easily. Her strong work ethic, combined with her social skills, drew the respect of her co-workers at HUD, and she remained popular as she was steadily promoted thru the ranks - not an easy task. She was supervisor of the Claims Department for many years. When the position of Branch Manager became open following the retirement of her boss, Pauline applied for the position but was passed over in favor of a younger male who had no prior experience in that department. Her disappointment soon turned to outrage when it became clear that her new manager wasn't interested in learning the nuances and details of how the departmental functions were organized, delegating many of his responsibilities to her. Following a difficult time of contemplation and concern for her future (she had 30 years at HUD), Pauline filed a sexual discrimination lawsuit against the federal government, claiming she was denied the promotion to branch manager simply because she was female. Two years later, the case was settled in her favor, resulting in a retroactive promotion and full awarding of back-pay. However, she had paid a heavy price emotionally and chose to retire at age 60 rather than continue working until 65 as she had always planned. In retirement, Pauline was still active and energetic and looking for something to do. She moved to Florida with her husband David for a few years, but they ultimately returned to Northern Virginia because they missed their families and friends. Once back, Pauline dabbled in real estate for a few years but never felt the same joy she'd had for her work at HUD. Following her husband's death in 1988, Pauline retired for good and spent the remainder of her years simply enjoying life: entertaining, traveling, and socializing; with family, friends, and at church. A debilitating hip condition following several surgeries slowed her down considerably over the last few years, but anyone who knew her was touched at some point by her spirit, and anyone who knew her well was touched by the warmth, kindness, and generosity to others that she displayed her entire life. What an amazing woman.