At the age of 40, Lessie Mae Terrell started a journey to complete high school and then nursing school, and accomplished this as a wife, a mother of six and a full-time worker. After graduating from the Bronson Hospital School of Nursing in 1987, she went on to work at Bronson Hospital, retiring in 1997. She then worked for the Battle Creek Health System before retiring after an additional five years of service. During her career, she worked in the areas of Orthopedics, Neurology and Hemodialysis.
Lessie was loved beyond measure for the care she provided to patients, which was regularly demonstrated by kind words, cards, gifts, and special requests to be placed under her care. She was a mentor to many and an example to all, with a strong faith in God and a desire to help others. Her children have set up the Lessie Mae Terrell Scholarship in their mother's honor, remembering her as someone who loved to learn and encouraged them to become lifelong learners.