John Estes

          Memorial services for John Estes, of Dallas, will be held Saturday, August 28, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Shafer Funeral Home, 600 North John Redditt Drive, Lufkin. Inurnment will follow at Garden of Memories Memorial Park at 5205 S. 1st Street, Lufkin. All friends and family are invited to attend both, or either.

          John was born in Lufkin, Texas on June 13, 1941 to parents Clarence Lee Estes and Jewel Kelley Estes. He died on August 16, 2021 at his residence in Dallas, Texas.

          John attended public schools in Diboll, Texas from the first through the ninth grade where he excelled as a baseball and basketball player and playing in the Lumberjack band. Following his father’s death, in 1955 John and his mother moved to Lufkin where he attended Lufkin High School and was graduated with the class of 1959.  In the Panther band he played tenor saxophone and contra-bass clarinet and earned the privilege of being selected to the Texas All-State Band. In his senior year, John was also the band’s Drum Major. John was graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1963, where he studied Political Science, and then studied abroad at the Italian University for Foreigners in Perugia, Italy where he studied International Relations and Art History.

          In the summer months from 1961 to 1963 John served as camp counselor at Tower Pines Camp near Eagle River, Wisconsin. From October 3, 1966 to October 2, 1968 John served in the United States Army. After completing basic training he was stationed at the Pentagon, Army Replacement Branch, as a MOS Administrative Clerk, after which he received an Honorable Discharge to inactive status with the Army Reserve.

          John’s father was Superintendent of Woods with Southern Pine Lumber Company for 16 years, owned the Diboll Motor Company and in retirement owned and operated the local Western Auto Store. His mother was the pianist at the First United Methodist Church in Diboll for more than 35 years and served as President of the Diboll School District’s PTA for six terms. She was a member of the first class to graduate from Stephen F. Austin State College and taught at schools in Sulphur Springs and Diboll, Texas.

          John’s residences include Seattle, Washington; Monterey Peninsula, California; Marblehead and Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C.; Houston and Dallas, Texas.

          John’s international travels took him to 25 countries, many of which were multiple visits. His love of world-wide travel led to self-employment as a “travel guide guru” in Dallas, Texas, following a long career of working with major publishing houses across the country, as well as being a very early employee in the firm Hotels.Com.  John was of the Methodist Faith.

          John is survived by his beloved aunt, Frances Kelley Parrish of Lufkin, Texas; and his first cousins from his father’s side of the family:  Lynn Estes Myers and her husband Roy of Lufkin and Ike Estes and his wife Nancy of Sugarland, Texas; and on his mother’s side, Morris Parrish and Claude E. Welch of Lufkin, Margie Welch Ballard and her husband Hulon of San Augustine, Texas, Veta Rowin Ondrusek and her husband Gene of Waco, Texas, Sarah Rowin Ritchie, of Katy, Texas, Patti Lynn Jackson and Gordon Lynn of San Antonio, Texas; along with a host of 2nd and 3rd cousins and many personal friends.

          If desired, in lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to Southern Methodist University, Gifts Administration, P. O. Box 650880, Dallas, Texas 75265-9929, or to a charity of choice.

          Visitation will be held prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 28, 2021, at Shafer Funeral Home in Lufkin.

          Shafer Funeral Home, Lufkin directors.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John Estes, please visit our floral store.