Atiba Kee

Atiba Kee, 81, of Lilburn, GA passed on Saturday, December 23, 2023. Celebration of Life (Memorial Service) will be held on Friday, January 5, 2024,1:00 PM, at New Bethel AME Church 8350 Rockbridge Rd SW Lithonia, GA 30058, Senior Pastor, Rev. Will Thomas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Atiba’s memory to the New Bethel AME Church Building Fund. https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z2PA/campaign/C-14KAA Born Ireland O’Brien Kee III in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in May 1942, the eldest son of Ireland O’Brien Kee, Jr. and Thelma Kee was known as “Sonny” in his youth, but later changed his name to Atiba. The family migrated to Wheaton, Illinois when he was a toddler. He learned his work ethic by helping his father with “Kee and Sons”, a building maintenance service, and by being the big brother to seven siblings. After graduating from Wheaton Community High School in 1960, he went on to study on a football scholarship at Wheaton College where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1964. He began his career at Western Electric in Chicago before entering the U.S. Air Force. He served as an aircraft electronics technician, stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War. After completing his Air Force enlistment, he returned to Western Electric in New York City and worked several years as an accounting systems auditor before entering the ‘new’ field of computer programming. He continued working there after Western Electric became AT&T, then Lucent Technologies and later Optical Fiber Solutions (OFS), retiring in 2002 after a career spanning 38 years in technology and computer systems programming. While at AT&T/Lucent, he was active in the Alliance of Black Telecommunications Employees, serving a term as Atlanta Chapter President and mentoring many young Black professionals as they sought to navigate the technology sector. He also served on the Diversity Council of the Atlanta Works location of AT&T/Lucent Technologies. Atiba was in the vanguard who pushed for equitable salary treatment and advancement of African American employees in the corporation. From a prior marriage Atiba was blessed with two daughters, Ayana and Dalila. Atiba later met Linda Lovett, a colleague in the IT department at AT&T, and the two were married in 1996. To this union one son, Nkosi, was born. Atiba and Linda served as loving parents/parental figures to their children and extended family. Throughout his life, Atiba was interested in sports and healthy living. After playing football in high school and college, he later trained for and competed in bodybuilding competitions. He was an avid tennis player in local ALTA and USTA leagues until his health began to decline. At an early age, Atiba accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized at Second Baptist Church in Wheaton, IL. He and Linda have been active members of New Bethel AME Church, Lithonia, GA, since joining in 2000. Atiba served in multiple capacities over the years, including as a member of the Men’s Ministry, the Male Usher Board, and the Trustee Board. Atiba’s sense of humor and dry wit made him fast friends with everyone who knew him. He loved to talk about jazz, football, and tennis. He was a true jazz aficionado, having built an expansive collection of albums and CDs of both traditional and contemporary jazz artists. Atiba Ireland O’Brien Kee, 81, of Lilburn, Georgia, passed away on December 23, 2023. Atiba was predeceased by his father, his mother, his brother Donald, and his sister Betty. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of over 27 years, Linda, two daughters: Ayana (Nathan) and Dalila, son, Atiba Nkosi, grandchildren: Elianna and DeAngelo, brothers: Moscowitz, Arnold (Billye), Kenneth, Nelson (Dell), and Gallagher (Carol), close family friend Albert (Darlene), and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends. Please express your condolences here on our website. Services entrusted to Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, Gwinnett Chapel, 914 Scenic Hwy Lawrenceville, GA 30045 (770)338-5558.

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Atiba Kee

May 23, 1942 - December 23, 2023