Sheila Jackson Lee funeral services: VP Kamala Harris, Bill Clinton in attendance

HOUSTON - A Celebration of Life Service was held for late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on Thursday.

Jackson Lee died last month after a fight with pancreatic cancer.

Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee from Houston dies at age 74

Jackson spent more than 30 years representing the Houston area as a judge, city councilwoman, and eventually in Congress.

Thursday's service is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

Vice President Kamala Harris, former president Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi are expected to be among the guests at the service.

The White House says Harris will give a eulogy.

The event is closed to the public.

You can watch the service on FOX 26, our website, and FOX LOCAL.

Sheila Jackson Lee Funeral Road Closure

Thursday's funeral for late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee could disrupt your morning commute.

The Celebration of Life Service at Fallbrook Church will begin at 11 a.m., but a road closure in the area will start much earlier. 

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says that Walter Road will be closed from Wellington Parkway to Old Walters Road starting at 7:30 a.m.

That's the stretch of road right in front of Fallbrook Church.

Those closures are expected to stay in place until 4 p.m.

A shuttle from Thompson Elementary School will take attendees to the church.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's Life and Legacy

Sheila Jackson Lee was born in Queens, New York in 1950. 

The Queens, New York native and daughter of a comic book artist attended Yale University and the University of Virginia where she obtained her law degree. 

While she was in college, she met the man who would become her husband, Elwyn Lee, in 1973. He took a job at the University of Houston as a law professor and that led the New Yorkers to travel to Houston. 

However, while in Houston, Jackson Lee had political aspirations and attempted to run for judgeships in Houston, but was unsuccessful three times. 

Then in the late 80s, Jackson Lee was appointed to a municipal judge seat by then-Houston Mayor Kathy Whitmire.

However, after receiving that position, Jackson Lee had bigger political aspirations and ran for a seat on the Houston City Council in 1989, which she won.

She later set her sights on the 18th Congressional District in 1994 where she defeated Congressman Craig Washington. 

Many will remember Jackson Lee for her focus on a progressive agenda, including, but not limited to, social justice, racial issues, LGBTQ rights and immigration. 

Jackson Lee will also be remembered as she was on the scene of every major disaster from Hurricane Ike to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many were amazed with the amount of public appearances she's been able to attend while crisscrossing the country.

It was then in 2012 when Jackson Lee announced that she was a breast cancer survivor and was cancer free.

Then in 2023, Jackson Lee turned her attention back on the City of Houston to become mayor. However, she was defeated by Texas State Senator John Whitmire. 

After turning her focus back on the 18th Congressional District, she held onto her seat despite a strong challenge from Amanda Edwards.

Then shortly after that close win, Jackson Lee announced her pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Jackson Lee is survived by her husband, Elwyn Lee, and her two children, Jason Lee, a graduate of Harvard University, and Erica Lee, a graduate of Duke University, who is also a Member of the Harris County School Board in Houston. She is also survived by her two grandchildren, Ellison Bennett Carter, and Roy Lee Carter.