Nate Lenow, Jr.'s Obituary
Nate Tighe Lenow, Jr., age 70, passed away unexpectedly on April 10, 2019. He was born June 20, 1948 in Memphis, Tennessee to Kathleen Plunk Lenow and Nate Tighe Lenow, Sr.He graduated from Whitehaven High School and the University of Memphis (then known as Memphis State University). He was a private investigator, who owned his own company, Lenow International, Inc., and a security consultant who was certified as a fraud examiner and protection professional.His independent investigations led him all the way to the center of family histories and political scandals: wherever there was mystery and intrigue, he was there. With a stubborn will and mind entirely of his own, he graduated with a Masters in Criminal Justice after eighteen years of on-again, off-again studies, just after Nate Lenow, III was born, something he would often jokingly boast about.Though his drive to explore compelled him all the way to Europe as a twenty-something with no money (he slept on street benches and beaches) and to the Yukon as a sixty-something, it was clear that his hometown of Memphis always had a powerful grip on his heart.He loved history, genealogy, maps, music, quotes, movies, poetry, art, of all genres, knowledge in all forms. He also loved Alvin and the Chipmunks: he could be, and often was, just as silly as he could be serious. He had as many quirks as he did opinions.He had an insatiable curioisty and gusto for life, threads which can be reliably traced throughout his whole life, from his many travels to his formal and informal studies, from his long career as a private investigator all the way to his recent foray in writing. Later in life, he discovered a writing itch that he both painstakingly and fervently scratched at, all the way to the end. His pseudonym was “Memphis PI.” Whether heaven is a place where he no longer has any itches or a place where he can blissfully scratch at them for all of eternity (he also loved using door frames to scratch his back, likening himself to a bear in this way), only “Memphis PI” knows.He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Diana Dabbs Lenow; son, Nate Tighe Lenow, III; daughter, Jennifer Kathleen Lenow; and sister, Madge Lenow Mathews (David). He was preceded in death by his parents.The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 14 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and funeral services celebrating his life will be held at 2:30 p.m., all at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38119 (901) 767-8930. “A Fitting Farewell for Everyone”.
What’s your fondest memory of Nate?
What’s a lesson you learned from Nate?
Share a story where Nate's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Nate you’ll never forget.
How did Nate make you smile?