Lester “Vance” Winstead, age 76, of Rockwood, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on Thursday, January 25, 2024, following a brief illness.

Born November 11, 1947, in Kinston, North Carolina, he chose the lakes and mountains of East Tennessee as his home. A husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Vance is remembered as a devout Christian who loved the Lord, as well as a man who always brought delight to the hearts of people around him. A Renaissance man in every sense, he unashamedly lived a life of adventure, while also finding time to succeed in multiple other enterprises. His interests, his vocations, and his loves were as varied as they were numerous.

No matter if he was offering a “bless your heart” to listeners of local radio, playing music on stage, portraying Santa Claus at Christmastime, or offering to share his smile with a friend or stranger, he was a rare original who possessed a glowing disposition that could only be described as “contagious.”

For the past 43 years, Mr. Winstead and his wife Sheila owned and operated several locations of their pizza restaurant, the King of Pizza. Later, the couple added locations of Winstead’s American Grill in Spring City and Rockwood. (If that wasn’t enough of a challenge, several years ago, the couple also opened a restaurant on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.)

A highly decorated Coast Guard veteran, Winstead served three tours of duty in Vietnam on Fast Boats patrolling dangerous Vietnamese rivers. After a variety of other duty stations, he retired as a Chief Boatswains Mate and returned to his beloved East Tennessee.

His time in the Coast Guard fostered a love of the water and for sailing – a passion shared by his wife Sheila. On any given weekend, one might find the couple entertaining friends aboard one of his boats on Watts Bar Lake. Many times, Vance and Sheila were known to pull away from the dock bound for an island-hopping adventure in the clear, blue waters of the Caribbean.

When not sailing, one would likely have found Vance in another happy place: on stage playing music with friends. An accomplished vocalist and guitar and banjo player, he performed anything from bluegrass to classic rock, with each performance being punctuated by a heartfelt “glad you’re here, y’all!”

Additionally, Vance spent many years as a popular radio disc jockey where he was famously known as “the Mouth of the South.” Besides announcing, he also managed a handful of broadcast outlets and, for a time, owned radio station WXVL.

A graduate of Roane State Community College, Tennessee Tech, and the University of Tennessee with degrees in history, biology, and health and physical education, he spent time as a teacher at Rhea County High School. Teaching, according to Vance, never felt like work because his students consistently filled his heart with joy and a sense of pride for their accomplishments.

A member of the American Legion Post 203 in Spring City and a Mason, Lester Vance Winstead unselfishly shared love with the world and was well-loved in return.

Recently, he had the great and unexpected honor of filling the pulpit at a local church where he delivered a series of Sunday morning sermons – an adventure that served as an exclamation point to his long and storied life.

Shortly after being diagnosed with his illness, Vance noted, “I have lived the life of five men and have no regrets. Most importantly of all,” he added, “I’m good with the Lord.”

Preceding him to the streets of Heaven were his parents: Thomas Leslie and Vida Inez Winstead; brothers: Bobby, Tommy, Kenny Ray, and Charlie Winstead; mother and father-in-law: Herbert and Flossie Woodall; and in-laws: Jack Woodall, Alene Mullins, and Violet and Joe Cates.

He is survived by his loving wife, best friend, and steadfast partner of 43 years: Sheila Woodall Winstead; sons and one daughter: Eric Winstead (Stacy) of Picayune, Mississippi; Kevin Griffis of Rockwood; Steve Winstead of Spring City; Roger and Shelly Hull of Karns, Tennessee, and Lisa Winstead of Boston, Massachusetts; grandchildren: Hannah, Mia, Brody, and Steven Winstead; great-grandchild: Hasley Winstead; sister and brother-in-law: Faye and Bobby Wells of North Carolina; several in-laws including Janice and Glenn Ellison, Wanda and George Smart, Bonnie and Steve McKinney, Shirley Byrd, Herbert Woodall, Tommy and Margaret Woodall, and Dean and Joann Woodall, all of Rockwood; Jimmy and Darlene Woodall of Harriman; Louise Woodall of Kingston; and scores of nieces and nephews, as well as many dear friends.

A memorial service with military honors will be held on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at 5 p.m. in the chapel of Vaughn Funeral Home in Spring City with Rev. Bud Strader and Rev. David Lovett officiating. The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 1, 2024, from 3 until 5 p.m. at Vaughn Funeral Home.

Instead of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate

Vaughn Funeral Home in Spring City is in charge of the arrangements.