Timothy Estes

Born October 1, 1940, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Timothy Estes was proud to be baptized at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Easter Even, 1941, and remained a faithful Episcopalian all his life.  During his childhood, he enjoyed fishing with his father, crystal radios, and summer swimming at Woods Lake.  He attended Oakwood Elementary and Junior High, University High and Western Michigan University – all in Kalamazoo.  He earned a degree in the Pulp and Paper Curriculum, where he met the love of his life, Valerie Steiner.  They married in 1961.  He continued his studies at The Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton, Wisconsin, graduating with a PhD in 1966.  As a present to himself, he bought a red Pontiac Firebird.

Tim’s first professional position was in Research and Development at Packaging Corporation of America in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  There, his two sons, Matthew and Daniel were born in 1967 and 1969.  Never one to be idle, in 1970 he designed and built an A-frame house with help from Valerie’s father and brother, and of course, Valerie herself.  He spent the next 20 years making additions and changes to this pet project.  The “cottage” was enjoyed by family and friends from Holy Cross Episcopal Church and the Wyoming Jaycees.  All who came remembered sailing, swimming, fishing, and skiing during the day and seriously intense games of Hearts at night.

Tim understood the importance technology would have in the future and bought an Apple II home computer before many of his peers.  After 20 years with PCA including a transfer to the Chicago area in 1983, Tim took a position with Jaakko Poyry, a Finnish Engineering firm for the pulp and paper industry.  They relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina where his specialty was developing new mills to produce newsprint.

Jaakko Poyry merged with Fluor Daniel in 1992 which saw another and final relocation to Greenville, SC.  Tim continued to work until 2001.  Upon retirement, Tim and Valerie traveled extensively in the US and the four corners of the world.  He became intensely interested in genealogy and traced one of his ancestors back to the Mayflower.  He devoted much of his time to the St. Peter’s Players providing stage management technical support and acting skills to their many and varied productions.  At home, he loved clearing fallen trees from the woods which he chopped into firewood.  He was very diligent about walking his 10,000 steps each day.  And, he was a lifelong lover of Valerie’s chocolate chip cookies.

Tim’s family, Valerie, Matthew, Jeanne, Daniel, and Michael will cherish their memories of this man who loved us all in his own quiet and inimitable way.

A memorial service will be held on April 9 at 11:am at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 910 Hudson Rd, Greenville, SC.   Memorial gifts may be sent to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.  No flowers, please.