Funeral arrangements for the 100-year-old are pending and will be announced later, according to Compassion Funeral & Cremation Services.
A native Nashvillian through and through, Estes spent his entire century of life in The Nations, according to the West Home Foundation. He was a lifelong friend and client of St. Luke’s Community House, where he dedicated countless hours to volunteering, leaving an indelible mark on the local children and families he supported.
His legacy is memorialized in a 160-foot mural by Australian street artist Guido van Helten. Located at 51st Avenue and Centennial Boulevard, the artwork features Estes representing “old Nashville” alongside children from St. Luke’s, who symbolize the city’s future generations.
Nashville locals shared memories and condolences for Mr.Lee in the wake of his death.
“Was blessed to get to meet him,” one comment read under an Instagram post announcing his passing. “I had the honor to get to know Mr Estes, a very kind, compassionate man. Very strong Christian, all around Great Human Being, but I know where he is now, he’s celebrating,” another comment read.
On Reddit, other Nashvillians recalled fondly bumping into Mr.Lee.
“Did he used to hang around the 51st deli and just sit at the tables. Swear I saw him a few times there, grabbing a bite when working over there. 100 is quite a run, and getting a huge mural painted in your image isn’t ever in the playbook of a common man,” one person observed.
Yep. I ran into him once, leaving, and everyone opened the doors for him. He said, ‘enjoy the food, young man’ and kept going,” another Nashville resident recalled
Just last month, Mr. Estes celebrated his 100th birthday.
“I’m going to keep going if I can,” the beloved Nashvillian told ABC affiliate WKRN at the time.
As Mr. Estes reflected on a century in Nashville, he offered a message for the future of a quickly changing Music City—a city now teeming with countless celebrity bars, a never-ending stream of bachelorette parties, and a growing populace of transplants from other states.
“Live the best life you can and be kind to people, and hopefully they’ll be kind to you,” he advised. “Everybody’s not that way, but we sure need to be.”