Frankie Lee served as Cedar Hill City Secretary for 24 years with more than 30 years of employment with the City, the longest serving employee at the time of her retirement in 2008.  She is a first-hand witness to the growth of Cedar Hill which grew from a population of 6,849 in 1980 to about 46,000 in 2008.


Frankie's great-grandfather, Newton A. Carrell, and grandfather, John S.A. Carrell settled their families in the Cedar Hill area around 1871.  Newton A. Carrell served as Dallas County Justice of the Peace for several years in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  Her parents, James and Faye Carrell, owned and operated a wholesale dairy on 77-acre farm south of town for 24 years, then raised cattle after closing the dairy. James delivered mail for the Cedar Hill Post Office for 22 years.

Frankie is a member of First United Methodist Church of Cedar Hill, where the Carrell family has a long history of service dating back to the Charter Membership of her grandfathers.  Frankie is a member of the Cedar Hill Lions Club, serving on the Board of Directors, former Lion Tamer and long-time Chair of the Annual Pancake Breakfast.  She was the Cedar Hill Lions Club "Grass Roots Lion" for 2007-08 and "Lion of the Year" for 2009-10.  She serves as a Trustee and volunteer for the Cedar Hill Museum of History and is a member of the Texas Track and Field Officials Assoc., helping officiate track and field meets in Texas each year, including the annual Texas Relays at UT.

A 1966 graduate of Cedar Hill High School, Frankie attended UTA and is a graduate of the "Leadership Southwest" class of 1996-97.  She has two daughters, Leslie Lee and Melissa Jett, and three grandsons, Jerod Godwin, James Jett and Grayson Jett.  Frankie's late husband, Charles Lee, was a building inspector for Cedar Hill many years.

Frankie was an active Member of the Texas Municipal Clerks Assoc., N TX Municipal Clerks Assoc.,and International Institute of Municipal Clerks.  In 2005, she was a Municipal Clerks' Honor Roll "Honoree."  She received continuing education in municipal government through these organizations and the Office of Secretary of State as well as the Office of Texas Attorney General.

At her retirement reception, Frankie was presented the City of Cedar Hill Official Seal that hung behind the dais in the old city hall, which she promptly donated to the Cedar Hill Historical Society.  She expressed great pleasure in having an opportunity to serve the citizens of Cedar Hill.   Cedar Hill citizens have been blessed to have Frankie Lee  as a part of the community.