Lex Lancaster

Born on July 19, 1941 Departed on December 26, 2015 and resided in Nashville, TN Visitation: West Harpeth Funeral Home and CrematoryTuesday December 29, 2015 4:00pm to 8:00pmWednesday December 30, 2015 9:00am to 10:00amCelebration of Life: West Harpeth Funeral Home and CrematoryWednesday December 30, 2015 10:00am to 11:00am

Lex Jerry Lancaster was born on Saturday, July 19, 1941 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was the son of Martin D and Alma Smith Lancaster. He finished high school in Hermitage Springs, Tennessee and enlisted in the United States Army. During his military service, his primary post was as a member of the Military Police Unit at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. After his discharge, he joined the Nashville Police Department where he served until he joined the United States Marshals Service as a Deputy Marshal. During the 70s and 80s, he was a member of the Marshals Special Operations Group (SOG) and was at several school integrations throughout the South along with the American Indian Movement occupation of Wounded Knee South Dakota which began in January of 1973. He spent several months in Guam involved in the resettlement of the Vietnamese and was one of several SOG members of an INTERPOL group that hunted for Nazi Physician Josef Mengele and several notorious international gun runners. He was among the Marshals assigned to guard John Dean during the Watergate Hearings beginning in the spring of 1973. Lex enjoyed his job and before retiring after 25 years, served several years as the Chief Deputy of the Middle Tennessee District.
Lex was married on December 28, 1976 to Deanie (Ava D Smith). Although they had no children, he was the favorite uncle of his nephews John Gunter and Cory Lancaster and his much loved niece, Martha Gunter Damron. His most special love was Emma Grace Damron, his older great niece. He fell in love with her soon after she was born and lying in the Nursery at Middle Tennessee Medical Center. A few years later, he was able to share his love with Thomas Damron, Molly Gunter, Noah Gunter and Ellie Kate Gunter. He adored them and especially spent many "grandfather" hours with Emma and Thomas Damron during frequent visits. Emma and Thomas adored Uncle Lex as well because they felt and reveled in his great love and affection for them.
Lex died suddenly on December 26, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee and was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Sandra Lancaster Smith. He is survived by his wife, Deanie; brother and sister-in-law Donald and Elaine Lancaster of Nashville; sister-in-law, Pamela Smith (Bill) Douglas; brother-in-law, Ken Smith, all of Crossville, Tennessee; nephews, Cory(Monica) Lancaster, of Melbourne, Florida, John (Amanda) Gunter, of Grimsley, TN; niece Martha (Corey) Damron, of Murfreesboro, TN; he is also survived by Emma, Molly, Thomas, Noah and Ellie Kate; several cousins and his great friends Mike Cunningham and Terry and Janet Sims both of Nashville. His many loved ones will miss him and cherish his memory. The great love he gave each of them will be his legacy.
Celebration of Life will be Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at 10:00am, at West Harpeth Funeral Home. Visitation will be Tuesday, December 29, 2015 from 4:00pm until 8:00pm, and one hour prior to service time on Wednesday. Interment will follow at Green Acres Cemetery in Crossville, TN.