Mrs. Colleen Mary Elizabeth Nield Lee

September 14, 1960 - April 16, 2017

9/14/1960-4/16/2017 Colleen Mary Elizabeth Nield Lee Musician, Entrepreneur, Animal Enthusiast. Colleen was born to play the trombone. In pre-school she had a trombone shaped kazoo. A native of Lemont, Illinois, to parents Richard Walter and Mary Ann Nield, Colleen began playing trombone very early, earlier than most, in the third grade. Mom was possessed by the idea of “keeping up with the Russians”. By seventh grade she was studying with her mentor Frank Crisafulli of the Chicago Symphony. Being a very quietly determined individual, and having an equally determined mother, she auditioned and joined her sisters Sharon Robbins and Kathleen Kiesel-Nield in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Mary K. Rosen, which she continued with throughout high school. Due to a clerical error, (“Why isn't Colleen here?”, “Uh,...we never heard back…?”, “How soon can she be?”...) Colleen briefly attended Indiana University studying with Keith Brown, and Lewis Van Haney, before continuing on with Frank Crisafulli and Arthur Linsner at Northwestern University, graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance. She had a wide variety of musical experience in the Chicagoland area performing with the Evanston and Waukegan Symphonies, the Lakeside Pride, Hinsdale Chamber Orchestra and the famed Lakeshore Brass. While at Northwestern, she met a loose-pantsed, tuba wielding omnivore in the shape of Eric Lee. Like a true melodrama, she despised him at first; he had first ops on ushering at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. In an act of possible revenge, she married in July of 1988. They moved to California, where they performed with the San Jose Wind Symphony, the Redwood Symphony, and the Livermore Opera Orchestra. She also played with the Womens Philharmonic. They also lived there. Colleen, Eric, their two Labradors, Maggie and Hanna, and a huge pile of music, finally settled in Merritt Island, Florida, where they cared for her father Richard who had advanced Alzheimer's. He tried to escape frequently. Colleen was committed to the care of her father after the death of her mother, Mary Ann Nield. Opting to work from home and bringing him along to every rehearsal, Richard became famed for his constant colorful presence. He also flirted constantly. To reach her goals, she became a true entrepreneur, fearlessly starting various businesses, including their popular Fetch! Pet Care of Brevard. Continuing their commitment, Colleen and Eric opened their home as an Adult Family Care Home after Richard joined Mary Ann. Music filled, flowed and punctuated everything Colleen and Eric did. And true musicians attract other musicians--through alcohol, mostly. In the Central Florida Winds they met an enigmatic personality in the form of Aaron Collins. Their lives were never the same. Never. Ever. Again. They helped start and run the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra. The Dog Bones soon sprouted up. Don Staples, an alumni of The Lawrence Welk Show arranged for their arrangements. Say that three times fast. He exposed Colleen to the world of jazz, Swingtime, and the Space Coast Jazz Orchestra. She loved it. She and Eric performed with celebrities: Celtic Thunder, The Alan Parsons Project, Dennis DeYoung of Styx and the Game Of Thrones Live Concert Experience to,... well,.. boast just a little. Colleen continues to inspire, influence and fill the lives of her husband Eric Lee, her baby dog Abigail, a large chocolate lab who is convinced she is a tiny love kitten, her sister Sharon Robbins, nephew Brody Robbins, sister Kathleen Kiesel-Nield, brother-in-law-in-crime Joe Kiesel-Nield, their children David Kiesel Nield, Erin Wright, and Colleen's brother Kevin Nield-who is responsible for this written mess. A Rose has but a brief bloom But leaves behind a legendary Memory In lieu of flowers, Colleen would love donations to her beloved Space Coast Symphony. She preferred plants to keep their bits anyway.