Pharmacist, country music singer killed in accident remembered for passion, faith
Lindsey Lagestee was walking to a Mount Greenwood bar to perform with her country band on Valentine’s Day when she was struck by a car.
She died three days later.
A pharmacist by profession, Lagestee, 25, was a founding member of the band Dixie Crush, who on its Facebook page remembered the late singer as having a “beautiful voice.”
“Lindsey cherished every moment on stage and put her heart and soul into every song … every performance,” the post by the band read.
“Above and beyond her beautiful voice, Lindsey just had a way of connecting with every audience leaving an indelible impression. Not only would she give an amazing performance, but after every show, Lindsey would come offstage, take time to meet anyone who wanted to say hi, take pictures, and build friendships.”
Lagestee was hit by a vehicle in the 3800 block of West 111th Street just before 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14, police said. She and the band were scheduled to perform that night at the Firewater Saloon, less than a half block west of where she was struck.
Chicago police said the 75-year-old man behind the wheel was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in the roadway. The CPD’s Major Accident Investigation Unit is still investigating.
Lagestee studied at Lewis University before earning her doctorate of pharmacy from Midwestern University in 2018. She had just started a new job at PharmScript, a pharmacy in southwest suburban Burr Ridge, two weeks ago, according to her mother, Linda Lagestee.
Her pharmacological career started early — before she graduated high school. Her great-grandfather owned a small chain of grocery stores — which included pharmacies — in the south suburbs, and Lindsey Lagestee became a pharmacy technician at age 15, her mother said.
“She knew every drug. She was one of the best,” her mother said. “She has saved so many lives.”
Music was another constant in her life, long before the founding of Dixie Crush. Lindsey Lagestee took piano lessons for 12 years and sang in choir. Her father helped introduce her to the works of Kenny Rogers and Elvis Presley. Her mother sang to her “every day since she was born.”
“And then she went line dancing and fell in love with country music,” her mother said. “She wanted to sing so bad.”
In a post on its Facebook page, Dixie Crush said the band has performed more than 250 times since its inception in 2015.
The last week has been more than difficult for her family, but Lindsey Lagestee’s faith in God has helped dull the pain.
In the days after Lindsey Lagestee’s death, her sister got into her car and plugged her phone in to listen to Pandora internet radio as she drove. Soon after, Linda Lagestee said, the auxiliary cable stopped working and the car’s radio turned on, randomly stopping at 97.9 FM, a Christian music station. The first song to play was “I Give You Control” by Tenth Avenue North.
“It told [us] that she was done with this life and that she was with God,” Linda Lagestee said. “And that’s the only way that I can stop crying and that I can go to sleep … It says that she could leave her earthly possessions and that she’s in a wonderful place.”