John Staples Estill Iii

JOHN STAPLES ESTILL, III

John S. Estill, III, died peacefully on September 15, 2021, at the age of 75 years.  He was born on October 17, 1945, in Fort Worth, Texas, to John Staples Estill, Jr., and Dorothy Ruth Finlayson Estill.  At the age of 11 years, his family moved to Independence Kansas, where he finished public school.  He attended a residential vocational school in Topeka, Kansas, where he learned to live independently and work for a living.  His first job was at the Delta Upsilon Fraternity House, University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.  The fraternity boys were wonderful, friendly, accepting and supportive.  When his parents relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1965, John relocated as well, and began attending a sheltered workshop, Children’s Medical Center, where he made new friends and met his future wife.  Soon, he was employed by Denny’s as a busboy.  One day when walking to work in the rain, he accepted a ride with Dr. James Osborn, a caring Christian man who became a trusted friend and, later, served as a groomsman.

Memorial is 12:00 p.m. Thursday, October 28, 2021 at Aurora Cemetery.

John married Elizabeth Bates of Collinsville, Oklahoma, on November 29, 1975.  They were dependable and loyal employees.  They enjoyed many family visits with their parents and siblings.  They vacationed in Washington, Ohio, Hawaii and Texas.  Family time was always the best, especially when nieces and nephews were present.  John and Elizabeth loved hugs.  Often, John could be heard asking, “Can I have a hug?”  They enjoyed playing card games with their nieces and nephews.  They enjoyed trips to the movie theater, especially for romantic comedies.  They never tired of watching their favorite television re-runs, Bonanza and Mayberry RFD, and they never missed an episode of All My Children.  John had an incredible ability to remember dates—all relatives and friends’ birthdays and anniversaries.  His birthday was the highlight of each year.  For years in Tulsa, family and friends celebrated at Applebee’s Grill & Bar.  Starting the day following his birthday and almost every day until the next year, he would talk about his next birthday and who was going attend.  After relocating to Denton, his birthdays were hosted at his brother’s home with plenty of family, friends and fanfare.

Following their retirement, John and Elizabeth moved to Aberdeen Heights Assisted Living in Tulsa.  In 2015, after Elizabeth’s need for nursing care, John relocated to Mayberry Gardens Assisted Living Care Facility in Denton, Texas, where, again, he made new friends and continued to enjoy family visits.  Every Saturday morning, Brother Jim would visit John at Mayberry and FaceTime Sister Sally for a weekly visit of family news.

On Monday, September 6, John was hospitalized and diagnosed with COVID.  Nine days later, he left this earth for a heavenly reunion with his wife and other relatives.  The family wishes to thank the staff at Mayberry Gardens and Denton’s Presbyterian Hospital for their care and compassion.

John is preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Elizabeth, and parents, John and Dorothy Estill.  He is survived by his younger brother and wife, Jim and Sharon Estill of Argyle, and sister and husband, Sally and Don Muhlbach of College Station; sister-in-law and husband, June Wood and Erik Schweiger of Ketchum, Oklahoma, brothers and wives, Allen and Marcia Bates of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and Sam and Carol Bates of Florida; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.