Longtime Phoenixville Resident, Founder Of 'Magic Memories', Passes Away

Obituary and image courtesy Campbell Ennis Klotzbach Funeral Home.

PHOENIXVILLE, PA -- Lee Kreider, recently of North Cape May, NJ and formerly of Phoenixville, PA, passed away on March 11, 2016 as a result of serious complications related to diverticulitis.

She was the mother of three children (Andrew, of Chester Springs, PA; Jason, of Phoenixville, PA; and Lindsey (Kreider) Brady, of Maricopa, AZ), whom she raised as a single mom through the 1980s and 1990s. Lee also leaves behind four grandchildren (Arianna, Imri, Gaelyn and Octavia), who will miss visiting her at the beach, and who will remember her knack for always finding the most perfect Christmas gifts.

Lee was born and raised in New England, and although she moved to the mid-Atlantic many years ago, she carried with her a charming accent that evoked smiles whenever she had to "pahk the cah in the gahrage". She is survived by a brother, Thomas Battles, of Palm City, FL (whose accent sounds just like hers), and was predeceased by another brother, James (Jude) Battles.

Lee was an emergency room nurse, an entrepreneur who launched a rehabilitation company, and the founding director of the Magic Memories preschool and child development center in Phoenixville, PA. Started as an in-home daycare in the Kreider family house on Kleyona Avenue, she built Magic Memories into one of the most well-respected preschools in Chester County. She is still fondly remembered as "Miss Lee" by the many families for whom she cared over the years.

Shortly after retirement, Lee followed her lifelong dream of living at the beach, and moved to a modest home near the Delaware Bay in North Cape May, NJ. While sampling the cocktail menu at Lucky Bones Backwater Grille, she met a group of wonderful friends and spent her final years wining, dining and watching sunsets over the sand dunes.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Lee's honor to the Reservoir Dogs Park (which Lee helped establish), c/o Vito Cerruti, 1907 Diane Circle, Phoenixville, PA 19460.

An informal, open house celebration of Lee's life will be held at her son Andrew's home on Saturday, March 19 between 12PM and 4PM. Please contact Andrew for directions if needed. Per her wishes, and instead of a memorial service, "a big party" will take place on June 26 (she would have insisted on waiting for warmer weather!) at her home in North Cape May.