Lee Fernandez's Obituary
Lee Monica Rollfinke Fernandez
Lee Monica Rollfinke Fernandez died as the result of a pulmonary embolism on June 22 at her home in Leesburg.
Born on March 6, 1970 in Towson, MD, she was the daughter of Dieter and Jacqueline Rollfinke of Carlisle, PA.
Lee graduated from Carlisle High School as the salutatorian of the Class of 1988. While in high school she played field hockey, was a reporter for the school newspaper, was inducted into the National Honor Society, and was a member of the Shakespeare Troupe. She received the Award for Excellence in Acting at the Folger Student Shakespeare Festival in Washington, DC.
In 1993 Lee graduated summa cum laude from Dickinson College. She was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa honorary societies, was the recipient of the Holzshu Prize in American Literature, and participated in Dickinson’s summer program in Bremen, Germany. Active in the College’s Women’s Center, she was also a founding member of the Peace Action Group and was a disc jockey for WDCV.
Lee was a fiber artist, specializing in quilting, weaving, and fabric sculpture. Her works have been displayed at the Textile Museum in Washington, DC, the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, and the North Museum in Lancaster, PA. She also had worked in retail sales for several businesses, including the Gund Store, the Inglenook bookstore, and the Etceteras shop, all in Leesburg; she had been a counselor at the Graydon Manor School in Leesburg; and she had worked as a payroll accountant for S.E. Smith Inc. in Sterling.
Especially meaningful for Lee was her membership in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun. She also was a member of the Wellness Support Group and a volunteer at the Hospice Thrift Shop, both in Leesburg. Recently she had developed an enthusiasm for knitting.
Lee was known for her whimsical sense of humor and her love of cats, monkeys, and chocolate. She found great joy in giving her family wonderful, unique presents. Her deep commitment to peace and justice causes was evident throughout her life.
In addition to her parents, Lee is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Brian and Sara Rollfinke, and by her nephews, Maxwell and Lucas Rollfinke, all of Timonium, MD. Her husband, Michael Fernandez of Leesburg, from whom she was amicably separated, also survives her.
A memorial service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 7 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun, 20460 Gleedsville Road, Leesburg VA 20175, preceded by a visitation with the family at 6:30 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun or to the Mental Health Association of the Capital Region, Inc., 111 Valley Street Extension, Marysville, PA 17053.
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