Grace Annabel Lee was born in Beaumont, on December 26, 1988, to Bryan H. and Mary Anne Lee.

Grace attended St. Anne Catholic School with her sister, Emily, and Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, both in Beaumont from Kindergarten through 12th grade where her deep and lasting friendships were forged. In high school, she had many interests. Among these included creative writing, theater, and volunteer work. Serving as the Student Body Class Vice President, she was able to connect with the entirety of the Kelly High School community, becoming a part of numerous service clubs and organizations. She then made the weighty decision of moving to Los Angeles, California, in order to gain life experience, to travel, and to pursue her lifelong dream of studying theater. Here, she continued to spread her love, laughter, and wit through her exuberant personality, affecting everyone she met. Grace even studied the deeper meaning and practice of theatrical arts in a study abroad program in Western Europe. This young, adventurous college student managed to venture far out past her comfort zone for the sake of her travels.

While theater arts had always been a long-time interest of Grace’s, it was not her only interest; halfway through her college career, she took up a minor in Theological Studies. She also participated in a Mandarin immersion class, where she learned how to read and write the most widely spoken language in the world. Grace was always broadening her horizons, even while successfully ensuring herself a spot on the Dean’s List in all four years of college.  She thus went on to be an honor graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles where she earned degrees in Theatre Arts and Theology. After graduating college, she spent many hours working diligently to attain her yoga teacher certification. This was done in order to fully cultivate the love for a practice of hers that she had fostered since she was sixteen. This feat, however, was not the only summertime interest she pursued. After much preparation and guidance, Grace decided to spend a summer in China doing volunteer work with mentally challenged children, teaching them English. She had decided to take this as an opportunity to again venture even further (as per her usual tendencies) before applying to law school.  After her time in China, she began to apply to multiple law schools with plans to study international or environmental law. After much deliberation, she decided to move to her beloved city of San Francisco, California, to attend the University of San Francisco Law School.

Multiple memorial services are being held across the country for Gracie, flags are being flown half mast at the Texas State Capitol in honor of her; legislation is pushing for “Gracie’s Law” to prevent similar accidents in the future; and the family has set up a donation fund to Texas A&M University’s veterinary center in appreciation of the rescuing of her beloved rescue dog, George. To donate to the veterinary center of A&M, visit http://vetmed.tamu.edu/giving/ways-to-give or http://vetmed.tamu.edu/common/docs/public/giving/cvmgiftform.pdf.

Merely stating the accomplishments of her life, though immense in number, does no justice to the description of her character. As cliché as it may be to say, Grace Annabel Lee was the most humorous, considerate, loving, peaceful, witty, and all around outstanding individual many of her friends and family have met. To be a part of Grace’s life was to be a viewer of an ever-evolving show. Grace’s is a personality that seemed infallible, always exuding confidence and comfort. Words will never be able to express even a fraction of people Grace was able to influence in a positive way. From Paris to Hawaii, to California and Russia, the immense amount of love and support Grace gave and received is beyond compare.

She was a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, a cousin, and a niece. Most of all, however, Grace was a best friend to more than one could count. Her endless amount of simple gratitude and genuineness reflected her ever-constant goal of reaching the beauty and truth of life. Everything Grace did, every volunteer trip Grace took, and every helping hand and laugh she lent came naturally to her because of this. She lived up to her name better than most could. Her life is anything but completed, and her story is yet to be finished. It is her undying honesty and understanding that continue to echo throughout her loved ones’ lives.

Grace did not confine herself in any sense. Her travels were able to quell her unrelenting desire to further her open-mindedness and her knowledge. She also did not confine herself in the role she had on others’ lives. She was a mother to many and a friend and confidant to all. Her character lives far beyond her years, and her love is carried out in every action of those whose lives she touched. She is not to be spoken of in past tense, for never will her character be forgotten. Cities across the world have homed her, and friends everywhere are celebrating the immense beauty of the life she led. Gracie resided on a different plane and has risen even higher now, prompting us all to follow her smile and giggle as she encourages us to continue our work by her with a sunnier disposition, a kinder word, and nicer smile, a better song.

A gathering of Grace’s family and friends will begin at 5:00 p.m., with a Christian Vigil at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 11, 2013, at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, 700 Jefferson Street, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 12, 2013, at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, Beaumont, with interment to follow at Magnolia Cemetery, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.