Donald F. “Don” Estes, age 81, of Battle Creek, C.E.O of Farley Estes & Dowdle Funeral Homes, died on Friday, July 4th 2008 at Borgess Medical Center after complications from injuries he incurred in an auto accident in Plainwell, MI on June 17, 2008.
Don was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan to Clarence B. and Mary E. (Meehan) Estes on June 5, 1927. He was raised in Gary, Indiana where he graduated from Tolleston High School. Don served in the U.S Army during WWII and was assigned to the 8th Army Headquarters in Yokohama, Japan with the Occupation Forces. He attended Indiana University but was loyal only to his other alma mater, Michigan State University. After that, he graduated from Wayne State University School of Mortuary Science in Detroit in 1952. Don was briefly employed in Detroit after graduation but then moved to Battle Creek in 1952 and joined the staff of Farley Funeral Home, and so began his 56-year career. He became partner at Farley Funeral Home in 1958. The firm was incorporated in 1967 and the name changed to Farley Estes Funeral Home in 1983. Don remained the Chief Executive Officer and actively involved in the business until his accident. Don always managed to balance work and family. It was always family first, business second. So, after a nice family dinner, he’d make sure to properly excuse himself from the table to call the office. Don never retired.
Don served his apprenticeship in Lansing, where he met the love of his life, Dorothy L. Johnson, and they married on February 3, 1951 in Battle Creek, MI. Dorothy, his wife of 57 years passed away on June 30, 2017. Don is survived by two daughters, Deborah J. (John) Dowdle and Deonne F. Estes, both of Battle Creek; two granddaughters, Stacey Smith of Richmond, VA, Jessica (Darriel) Alsobrooks of Battle Creek; three grandsons, Cory (Kori) Dowdle of Grand Rapids, Barton (Janelle) Dowdle of Augusta, Adam Dowdle of Kalamazoo; eight great-grandchildren; and his sister, Norma Jean (Jack) Wallace of Valparaiso, Indiana. If you were in his family, you were inside his kitchen cupboard where he taped a list of all the family birthdays and anniversaries. He never missed them. He was as dutiful at remembering these important dates as he was relentless at photographing their occasions.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Floyd.
Don played an integral role to the city of Battle Creek, a city he loved. He worked on all the major Battle Creek Fund Drives through the years and served as chairman or division head of the Battle Creek Y-Center Drive, the Hospital Fund Drive, United Way Fund Drive, and the United Arts Council. He was a member of the planning Committee for NorthPointe Woods, worked on the fund drive and served as a board member. He was a former member of the Battle Creek Jaycees, served as vice president and was awarded the Outstanding Young Man of the Year. He was a current member and the 1962 president of the Battle Creek Kiwanis Club, 1969 president of the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce, 1983 board president of Good Samaritan Hospice Care, former board member of People’s Savings and Loan Association, board member of the Battle Creek Boy Choir, former member of the administrative board at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, a former chairman of its finance committee and served as a chairman of Chapel Hill Balloon Parking Committee. He received the Enquirer and News George Award in 1970. He was currently an active member at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Battle Creek Kiwanis Club, The National Funeral Directors Association and District #3 Michigan Funeral Directors Association. Involvement this grand of scale was proof that: even if Don did retire he would never stop working. Though consistently busy both by his business and his organizations, Don always found time to write in his daily journal. Priceless now are those pages where he jotted fond memories about family, community happenings, notable sports scores, or sometimes just the weather. He would notoriously quote from his journal by announcing, “Four years ago today…” Don was nostalgic in that he remembered, sentimental in that he wrote it down.
Don always had a way with words yet words fall short in explaining who he was. He is better understood by what he meant. Don was something to everyone and everything to the rest of us. He was a leader, a boss, a businessman, a family man. A man of tradition and a man of his word whom we were better for knowing, lucky if we knew him well, and blessed if he was family.
We weren’t ready to say goodbye but do so in the same manner and grace Don went about his life. A good life it was.
Visitation to honor Don was held Monday, July 7, 2008 at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care.
Funeral services to celebrate Don’s life were held at his funeral home 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, 2008, with Rev. Dr. James M. Gysel officiating. Military honors and interment followed at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Battle Creek Community Foundation or NorthPointe Woods.
