Lydia Ann Guillory-Lee was born on November 8, 1956 in Lake Charles, Louisiana to Marie Armelda Jean and Joseph Bruce Guillory. She lived to be 66 years old and passed away on June 10, 2023 with her beloved children, Alex and Sydney, by her side. She had been anointed earlier that day before God welcomed her into the eternal peace of Heaven.

She grew up within the Sacred Heart Congregation along with her parents and siblings and later attended Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church after moving across town with her husband and children. She received her last rights and was anointed in her home 12 hours before she passed.

Lydia was a Louisiana native her whole life, growing up as the adored baby in the family. She lived on Belden Street in Lake Charles with her parents, older sister, and two older brothers. As a baby, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and had difficulty walking, so her eldest Brother, Emanuel, carried her everywhere she wanted to go, a fact that she never forgot. Once she could walk, she and her brother David were inseparable. They loved to accompany her father at the family mechanic shop on Fruge street. Her other interests included sewing and painting. Her grade school friends describe her as an excellent seamstress and artist with impressive creativity. Later, she attended Lake Charles High and competed with the debate team. She loved to read, was a local and national history buff, and knew that she wanted to practice law from a young age.

She attended McNeese State University for college where she was known best for her wit with words and humor. She had a reputation for being outgoing, hard-working, and somewhat quirky. She decided to study Russian along with pre-law "for fun." She was described as a good listener who gave good advice and was fiercely independent. She also had a bit of a reputation as a card shark. Along with excelling during college, she also single-handedly cared for both of her ill parents before suffering the tragic horror of her brother's untimely death, which further drove her passion to fight for justice.

She was accepted into LSU's law school in 1979 and moved away from Lake Charles for the first time to live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She frequently visited her friends and family back at home and gained new friends who became family while in law school. Her children refer to them as aunts and uncles today.

After receiving her Juris Doctorate degree in 1982, she returned to Lake Charles and began working for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office before quickly rising to the position of felony prosecutor. She left the district attorney's office in 1988 to become Assistant City Attorney for the City of Lake Charles, and was promoted to the City Attorney position in 1989. She was the first African-American City Attorney in the history of the City of Lake Charles. This is also the year that her first daughter, Alexandra was born. Her youngest daughter, Sydney, was born in 1990. She left her City Attorney position shortly after this, in 1993, and joined the Jones, Tete law firm, where she worked until entering private practice in 1996. She was simultaneously appointed City Prosecutor for the City of Lake Charles. She served as City Prosecutor while maintaining an active private law practice from 1996 until her retirement in 2019. She also served as Traffic Court Magistrate in Iowa from 2016 until she retired in 2019. On Law Day, May 5, 2019, The Southwest Louisiana Bar Association recognized Lydia as the recipient of the Louis Martinet Society's Charles Hamilton Houston Service Award. Through all of her service to the community of Lake Charles she touched many lives and helped many people. She was honest and often worked pro-bono because it was the right thing to do. She was relentless in her fight for equality and justice. At home, Lydia enjoyed arts and crafts with her daughters. She preferred to hand paint Christmas sculptures rather than buying them from the store. She loved to decorate for Holidays. She, Alex, and Sydney often used stencils and paint to create decorations. They also pressed and dried flowers together, gardened, and dyed Easter eggs. Upon walking into her home, one could often hear loud Motown music and catch Lydia and the girls singing and dancing. She was a fantastic cook. Some of her favorite physical activities included taking her daughters to the YMCA to swim and on bike rides. Her collections included crystal, china, high-quality pens, and antiques. She found joy in writing and often wrote poems and short stories. She also loved having the newest high-tech gadgets at home and at work. She enjoyed being pampered with long baths, whirlpools, and massages. With her friends, she loved fancy food and wine with friendly gossip. She also enjoyed a stiff scotch and could be the life of the party. She once thwarted authorities from shutting down a particularly rowdy gathering and was celebrated with song and joy.

Lydia valued people above all else. She searched for the good in everyone and treated people equally and with respect and her legacy will continue. Lydia was predeceased by her parents Marie Armelda Jean and Joseph Bruce Guillory, her brothers David Paul Guillory and Emmanuel "E-Man" Guillory, her dogs Lucky, Rolphe, and Cookie, as well as other extended family members. She is survived by her daughters, Alexandra Elyse Lee and Sydney Nicole Lee, her sister, Glenda Chenier, and her teacup Yorkie, Sugar, as well as other extended family members.