Isaac Lee McDowell

Lee McDowell, age 98, of Mt. Juliet, passed away on Monday, May 25 ,2026. Lee was born at home in Dekalb County on September 22, 1927 to his parents, Toy McDowell and Edna Lawrence McDowell. He was the third child born to his parents and he was a true sharecropper’s son. He grew up working the land to help feed the family. He plowed with mules, cut wood with crosscut saws, got water from a spring, and had no electricity. He lived through The Great Depression and World War II, where he served in the U.S. Army in Germany and France.

After his military service was complete, he moved to Nashville, where he met the love of his life, Mildred Ann Wilkerson. He studied diesel mechanics at Nashville Auto Diesel School. Lee either drove big trucks or worked on them for the rest of his working life. He and Mildred had five children of their own between 1951 – 1960. They lived in East Nashville until moving to Mt. Juliet in 1970, where they had 10 acres and Lee began farming part time. They stayed there until all of the children were grown, married, and had children of their own. In 1985, he moved to Norene and settled on 73 acres, where he retired and started doing what he loved, raising cattle and hay.

Being from the greatest generation, Lee didn’t have hobbies but he enjoyed playing the guitar, fishing, baseball, and NASCAR. He was a very hardworking, independent, proud man who believed you should break a sweat everyday! He was left on this earth for 98 years as an example for all of us. He will be dearly missed by all of his family and friends.

Lee was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred McDowell; son, Ronnie McDowell; daughter-in-law, Diane McDowell; son-in-law, Phil Maddux; grandson, Daniel McDowell; sister, Inez Driver; and brothers, Louie McDowell, Toy McDowell, Jr., and Dan McDowell.

He is survived by:

Children – Michael Harold (Reba) McDowell, Randy McDowell, Wanda Maddux, and Jim McDowell

Daughter-in-law – Frances McDowell

Grandchildren – Nathan (Robin) McDowell, Rebecca (Brian) Robinson, April Knoblett, Michele (Jeremy) Napper, Melissa (David) Lawson, Melinda McDowell, Michael Maddux, Adam (Genny) Maddux, Josh (Kristen) McDowell, and Heather (Amanda) McDowell

18 Great Grandchildren and 2 Great Great Grandchildren

Funeral Services for Lee will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Bond Memorial Chapel with interment to follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Michael Maddux, Adam Maddux, Nathan McDowell, Josh McDowell, Brian Robinson, and Jeremy Napper. Honorary Pallbearers will be Wayne Nowlin and Ricky Phillips. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 1:00 p.m.

Arrangements by Bond Memorial Chapel, N. Mt. Juliet Road and Weston Drive, Mt. Juliet, TN. (615)-773-2663 www.bondmemorial.com