Evelyn "Boots" Virginia Estep

She was born on November 7, 1924, at Kaymoor, WV. She was the daughter of the late Claude Elmer and Dillie Oliver Lee.

Evelyn was a faithful member of Fayetteville Baptist Church where she served on the Scholarship Committee. She was the oldest living founder of the church. She was devoted to her faith in God and had a great burden for those who didn’t know Jesus. She was working to save souls, even up to her last hours. She made it hard not to love her because she loved everyone and everyone loved her. She was known for her delicious pound cakes, her kind heart, and her smile. Her favorite hobbies were cross stitching, traveling the world, and working in her beautiful flower gardens. To be almost 101, she had a phenomenal memory until the end and she was able to laugh and talk to her family and friends.

She spent her career working in the central office for the Fayette County Schools. It is believed that Evelyn was the last surviving graduate of Fayetteville High School Class of 1942. The Fayetteville Town Council celebrated her 100th birthday by giving her flowers.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Susan Summerfield and Frances Smith; brothers, Harry Lee and Claude Lee, Jr.; and her first husband, John Hilton, Jr. that passed in 1956 and in 1974 she married her second husband, Frank Estep.

Left to cherish many wonderful memories include her nephew, Claude “Buddy” Lee, III and his wife Sharon; nieces, Belinda Thomas and Ann Lee; her cousins; and caregivers: Martha Brubaker, Lana Allen, Abby Connor, Shelly Sexton, Christy Connor, and Dorlina Kincaid. Finally, but not least, Brian Gunnoe and Adam Trzicak, for going above and beyond to see that she was safe in her home and all needs met. She couldn’t have loved them more if they were her own sons.

Funeral services honoring the life of “Boots” will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, October 11, 2025 at the Fayetteville Baptist Church with Pastor Adam Trzicak officiating. Following the services she will be laid to rest in Huse Memorial Park, Fayetteville, WV. The family will receive friends at the church on Saturday from 1PM to 2 PM.

The family would like to thank everyone for their faithfulness, for all their love, prayers, visits and phone calls, during her life and illness. Also, we would like to thank Dr. Josh Boggs for his many years of caring for her. We will all miss her for all her love and encouragement.

Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, is honored to be serving the Estep family. Expressions of sympathy on condolences may be by visiting our website at blueridgefuneralhomebeckley.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Boots memory may be made to Fayetteville Baptist Church, 104 Ankrom Street, Fayetteville, WV 25840 and specify for the Scholarship Fund or the Food Committee Fund.