Lee Terrell Nesbitt, III

Terrell was born on July 12, 1971 in New Orleans, Louisiana, the second child of Dr. Lee Terrell Nesbitt, Jr. and Yvette Yenni. He was reared in Algiers where he attended elementary school at St. Andrew the Apostle and went on to graduate from Jesuit High School in 1989. He began his college studies at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, but later transferred to Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy with honors.

Always the adventurer, Terrell lived in many U.S. cities before returning home to New Orleans where he worked on film sets, held a chauffeur’s license, apprenticed as a cabinet maker and eventually opened his own carpentry shop. He enjoyed cooking with his mother and grandmother as a child and applied his skills as a young man to become a caterer in Chicago and a sous chef in Seattle. He worked in Denali National Park and drove a taxi in Homer, Alaska. He studied film in Los Angeles and acting in New York City and completed course work toward a master’s degree in psychology. He traveled extensively in Europe, but his heart was always in New Orleans.

Terrell, like his father, was an avid sports fan and a devoted follower of the Lakers and Pelicans. He was a kind and generous soul, who treated everyone equally and had a soft spot for stray animals.

Terrell is preceded in death by his father, Dr. Lee Terrell Nesbitt, Jr., and his mother, Yvette Yenni Nesbitt. He is survived by his sister, Dr. Julye Nesbitt Carew (Patrick) of Dallas, Texas and his nephews, Mitchell and Connor Carew of Dallas, Texas; his aunt, Carolyn Yenni Lemoine of Cottonport, Louisiana; and his cousins Gano D. Lemoine, III (Dana) of Portland, Oregon and Jean-Louis Lemoine (Bridget) of Lafayette, Louisiana.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Friday, January 14th at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124. A memorial service will be held immediately following at 12 p.m. with a private burial thereafter.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations may be made to the SPCA of Louisiana at give.louisianaspca.org.