Lundie Estep, Jr.

On Tuesday morning, August 22, 2023, Lundie Estep, Jr., 76, of Rubyville, passed away peacefully in his home of 50+ years with his loving wife and son at his side.  Born on June 5, 1947, in Paintsville, KY, he was a son of the late, Della Estep and Lundie Estep, Sr.  Also preceding him in death were Margaret and Preston Childers, who helped raise Lundie as a child. 

Surviving are his loving wife of 55 years, Connie (Castle) Estep; his son, Scott Estep, daughter-in-law, Danielle (McKinney) Estep; and his beloved granddaughter, Stella Ryan Estep, all of Lewis Center; his sister, Alice Faye (Estep) Baldwin and brother-in-law, Eldon Baldwin, both of Summerset, KY, and several nieces and nephews.

Lundie was a proud graduate of the class of 1966 at Paintsville High School in Paintsville KY, where he was a standout in football and in track and field.  After graduation Lundie, proudly served his country in the Vietnam War as an E-4 in the U.S. Army.  Upon his return from Vietnam, he married his high school sweetheart, Connie Lynn Castle, of Paintsville, KY.  Lundie and Connie eventually settled in Portsmouth, where they lived happily together for the past 55 years. 

In 2011, Lundie retired from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant after 35 years of service.  During those 35 years of outstanding and loyal service, he developed many lifelong friendships, which he kept, up until his death.  He was widely considered a dependable, hardworking, honest man, with the highest levels of integrity.  When Lundie wasn’t working he would be found outside doing yard work or other home improvements.  After retirement you would find him out in his garage woodworking or relaxing in his recliner watching Westerns. 

Lundie was a loving and engaged parent.  He never missed a single ball game that Scott played.  If he wasn’t coaching Little League baseball, he would be found in the stands, quietly keeping detailed stats of all the players.  Growing up, Scott fondly remembers all the weekend mornings he spent fishing with his dad at the Greenup Dam.  Lundie enjoyed traveling with his wife and family every year to Myrtle Beach and The Great Smokey Mountains.  He loved his family dearly and viewed his daughter-in-law, Danielle, as the daughter he never had.  His greatest joy in life, however, was his granddaughter, Stella.  She was the apple of his eye, and he loved her with all his heart. 

Lundie was an accomplished woodworker, who loved to create wood crafts for friends and family.  A proud veteran, he was a member of the American Legion James Dickey Post 23 for over 50 years.  While a quiet man, he enjoyed long standing and deep friendships.  He was always quick with a joke but was always the person anyone could depend on in any kind of situation. 

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 26^th, at the BRANT FUNERAL HOME IN SCIOTOVILLLE with Daniel Castle officiating followed by military honors by the Ironton VFW Post 8850 and a detachment from the U.S. Army.

The family will receive guests at Brant’s from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Lundie will be dearly missed by his family and friends.  He leaves a big hole in their hearts.

The American flags on the avenue will once again fly in honor of our brave U.S. Army veteran Lundie Estep, Jr.