Following his sudden death Monday, actor Leslie Jordan will reportedly receive a posthumous honor in his hometown. While the late actor was a star in Hollywood, he was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and his hometown is looking to pay tribute to him in a special way. Jordan died Monday after he crashed his car into a building after reportedly suffering a medical emergency. He was 67.
Sources told TMZ that the city is looking to posthumously honor Jordan in several ways, with several ideas currently being tossed around. Among the suggested honors, according to the outlet, is possibly renaming a street or building in his honor. However, the final call will be up to his family, who reportedly reached out to the city, where he is being remembered as “one of the cherished sons of Chattanooga,” following his death looking to secure a facility for a memorial service. Details of that service, including date and time, have yet to be revealed, though TMZ was told the city is partnering with Jordan’s family to help find “a venue for a memorial service and making sure to pick a date that works well for Leslie’s loved ones.”
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Born in Chattanooga in 1955, Jordan studied at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he was a theater major in the early 1980s. In 1982, he “boarded a Greyhound bus bound for LA with $1,200 sewn into his underpants” in 1982, according to a publisher’s description of his 2009 book My Trip Down the Pink Carpet. However, as his star quickly rose in Hollywood with his roles in titles like The Fall Guy, Designing Women, and The People Next Door, Jordan’s ties to his hometown remained strong. The actor, perhaps best known for his role on Call Me Kat, returned to Chattanooga on numerous occasions to participate in civic events and volunteer with local charities, TMZ reported. He was also longtime friends with Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly knew, whom he knew since they worked together at a local restaurant as teenagers.
As Hollywood continues to mourn his passing, an outpouring of tributes has also come from Jordan’s hometown. In a tweet, Kelly called Jordan “a Chattanooga legend and national treasure who brought joy and hope to millions.” Similarly, the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Twitter account remembered Jordan as “a Chattanooga legend,” sharing that the actor was a “true patriot of the Scenic city.”
