Obituary of Lucie Estes Carter Stephens

Lucie Estes Carter Stephens Lookout Mountain native Lucie Estes Carter Stephens, 89, died in Chattanooga on Tuesday, October 18, in the loving presence of her family. Known by a family surname from the time of her birth instead of her actual first name, Estes relished her deep roots in Tennessee and Virginia. Kindness, hospitality, generosity and Christian graciousness were the hallmarks of her life. Estes had a true serving heart and embodied the woman of Proverbs 31, always mindful of the comfort and happiness of others over herself. Estes graduated from Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga and Hollins College (now University) in Virginia, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance. Inheriting the music gene that has run in her in family for several generations, Estes shared her talent and joy in music for decades in the choir of First Presbyterian Church and the Junior League Choristers. Her interests included gardening, reading, cooking and sewing, evidenced by a quilt she designed featuring historic family homes spanning three centuries and numerous needlepointed pillows created to mark family milestones. Estes served in many volunteer positions benefiting Chattanooga, including president of the Junior League Garden Club, Riverview Garden Club, chairman of the Chattanooga Committee of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, member of the Nancy Ward Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the English Speaking Union and president of Women in the Church of First Presbyterian, where she was named Woman of the Year in 1994. Following a year of teaching kindergarten at Lookout Mountain Elementary School, Estes became engaged to Chattanooga banker and World War II veteran Gerry U. Stephens six weeks after they met. Estes and Gerry maintained a home filled with love and laughter together for 60 years, until his death in 2018. In the 1970s, Estes founded a home business, the McCallie Monthly Munchers, to bake and deliver birthday cakes to boarding students of The McCallie School, which several men in her family had attended. Estes Stephens was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Otey Carter, Jr. (Lucie Howard). She was predeceased by her adored grandson, Carter Hamilton Holland, and is survived by her three children, Lucie Holland (Steve) of Alexandria, VA, Allison W. Stephens and Gerry U. Stephens, Jr. of Chattanooga, along with numerous cherished nieces, nephews and cousins with whom she shared happy times at the family’s beloved summer houses in Mentone, Alabama. The family will receive friends to celebrate Estes’s life at First Presbyterian Church at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, followed by a memorial service in the sanctuary at 2:30 p.m. She will be laid to rest that day in the Stephens family plot at Chattanooga Memorial Park at 11:00 a.m. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staffs of Memorial Hospital and Hospice of Chattanooga for caring for Estes in her final days. Charitable contributions in memory of Estes Stephens may be directed to the alma mater of her grandfather and son, King University - https://www.king.edu/about/offices/advancement/give/ , Bible in the Schools - https://www.classy.org/give/239649/#!/donation/checkout or your favorite charity. Arrangements are by Wann Funeral & Cremation Center at the foot of historic Lookout Mountain, St. Elmo. (423) 821-7551. To share memories, photos or condolences please visit www.wannfuneralhome.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Estes Stephens, please visit the Tribute Store.