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John Estes Obituary

A sailor, Fulbright scholar, philosopher and lover of education, John T. Estes died June 22 at his home outside of Lawrence.

John worked at Saint mary's College in Leavenworth, where he was the assistand to the President and he created and ran the college's outreach education program including the prison. He retired from Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio where he was a successful grant writer and developer of new programs.

He never tired of teaching, learning and promoting education to anyone willing to listen. The eldest of four children of Margaret and John K. Estes, John was often a quiet supoorter of his family. As a KU student, he returned home from Germany when studying abroad to supoort his family when his parents divorced while completing his doctorate. He cared for his mother and her home when her life was upended by Hurricane Katrina. John is survived by his wife of 35 years, Kathleen; his brother Greg; sister jennifer Heflin; his children John D. Estes and Amy Estes Robertson; and granddaughters Myla and Tessa Nover-Estes and Eiley and Sophia Robertson. He will be greatly missed.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Lawrence Journal-World on Aug. 9, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
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5 Entries

Bert and Sharon Kleinpeter

May 18, 2024

Fair Winds and Following Seas, John

Reece Wiley

August 3, 2023

Gone,but never forgotten....

Reece Wiley

August 9, 2022

Alas, I lost track of John during COVID. He saved my professional life in mid-80s by getting me on at St Marys. I knew him to be someone ever and always interested in everyone and everything. He and Greg are surely two of the best men I've ever known. There's an unfillable space in the universe with the loss of John. May he know the peace he does so deserve.

Anne Woods

August 9, 2022

Sending comfort to Kathleen. John was a good friend of my father's (Jim Hills) for over forty years. My father chooses his friends carefully and John was always at the top of the list.

Russ Beeson #8463

August 9, 2022

I worked with John in the education department at Lansing. I was saddened to hear of his passing. Please accept my condolences to his children and family.

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