Sheila Lee, a respected businesswoman and widow of bandleader Byron Lee, died on June 6 in Florida, her daughter Julianne told Observer Online. She was 83.

Lee was a quiet influence in most of her husband’s ventures including Dynamic Sounds, the recording and distribution company he operated from 1964 until his death at age 73 in November 2008.

She also played a major role in The Dragonaires, the band he started in 1955 at St George’s College in Kingston, as well as Jamaica Carnival, the annual event Byron Lee launched in 1990.

That two-week party brought the soca culture of the Eastern Caribbean to the streets of Jamaica, and drew thousands of revellers.

One of Ms Lee’s biggest achievements was starting and operating Sheila Music, a publishing company. The Lees were married for 41 years and had two children.

Sheila (Khouri) Lee was born into a family of Lebanese heritage in Kingston. She was the eldest of 10 children for Michel Khouri and his wife Lily. Michel was a cousin of Ken Khouri, founder of Federal Records and a pioneer in the Jamaican music industry.

The Khouris were close friends of the Nasrallas, another Jamaican family with Lebanese roots. Sheila became acquainted with Byron Lee through her friendship with Ronnie Nasralla, who was also a past student of St George’s College. With the emergence of ska in the early 1960s, she helped promote the dance craze by making appearances with The Dragonaires which had a big hit with Jamaican Ska.

Sheila Khouri Lee is survived by daughters Judy, Julianne and Danielle, three grandchildren; three stepchildren, four brothers and four sisters. She was pre-deceased by one brother.

Her thanksgiving service is scheduled for June 19 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness in Pembroke Pines, Florida.