Linda Ann Williams Bennett

Happy Birthday Rich. I will be joining you on this 73rd birthday in a few weeks. Ugh. How did this happen??

Posted on: Aug 07, 2017 at 2:01 PM

Happy Birthday, old friend. Sure would like to see you at the reunion. Know it would be hard but we would all love to have you there.

It is with an extremely heavy heart that I must inform all my Dad's family and friends that my Dad has passed away early this morning due to a long history of congestive heart failure and other health issues . I apologize for delivering such a devastating and heartbreaking blow in such an impersonal way . I would have preferred to talk to each and every person whose life Dad touched in person but that's just not possible . No services will be held at this time however I would like to have a Memorial Service at a later time and I will be sure to post information regarding the details as soon as arrangements have been made . Please keep our family in your prayers and if any of you know of anyone who may not have been informed of his passing please let them know .

Happy Birthday Day Jerry. Hope it's been a good one. Hope also that you can join us in Sept for our 55th reunion

Agree Ron, we were the Morton kids 

Thomas Arnold Estep was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of "stick to it" attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

Thomas was born on July 29, 1943 at Cameron Hospital in Angola, Indiana. His parents were Arnold R Estep and Violet D Fritz. Thomas was raised in Hessville, Indiana. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Estep household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Thomas was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Thomas was raised with two brothers. He was the oldest brother then, Ronald and a younger brother Richard. Thomas was constantly involved in activities with his brothers. Thomas and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Thomas was always consistently loyal to his family.

As a young child, Thomas was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn't pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Thomas developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Thomas played Football in High School and was offered a scholarship to Notre Dame. In his spare time he liked trains. However, what Thomas enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Thomas as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Hessville High School in 1961. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Football. Thomas was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Thomas always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

Thomas earned some college credits while he was in the military, however, he did not earn his degree, However, Pacific Bell sent him to many ATT schools in Lyle, Illinois, which helped him to get promoted in his career at Pacific Bell.

Thomas brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Thomas was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. Thomas was blessed with two children, Son: Scott Thomas Estep and daughter: Bonnie Estep. He were also blessed with two grandchildren, Jakob and Caitlin.

Thomas greatly enjoyed what he did for a living as a Maintenance Engineer with Pacific Bell. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Thomas enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Thomas was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was maintenance engineer. He was employed for 30 years at Pacific Bell. Thomas worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Thomas was an Air Force veteran. He was in the Air Force from 1962-1966 and spent much of his military service stationed in Japan as a crew chief on a C-124 Transport plane. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of E-4. He received praise for his valor, including being awarded Good Conduct Medal, Air Force Service Ribbon. A literal thinker who possessed a calm exterior, Thomas seemed to enjoy the routines set forth by the military. His results-oriented approach to things made him committed to the job, and he understood well his role in serving his country.

Thomas liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Thomas always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were motorcycles, training and breaking horses. Thomas was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Thomas found pleasure in sports. Being a person who was comfortable making win/lose decisions throughout life, he could appreciate that athletes made those types of decisions in sports. He applauded those who won, and he enjoyed the statistical data and sports facts and could find himself wrapped up in those details. In high school, Thomas played football. Recreational sports included bowling. He would watch his favorite sporting events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football.

Many organizations were grateful to have Thomas as a member, since he always brought with him a "stick to it" attitude and a high degree of common sense. Using straightforward methods to successfully complete the job, Thomas was a great planner who was incredibly well organized. It seemed that he was able to schedule any event or activity with ease. He always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. Throughout his later years, Thomas was an active member of the Folsom Elks Lodge, in Folsom, California.

As a man who always showed great commitment to the things he believed in, it's little wonder that Thomas was so active in his community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Thomas preferred to base his decisions on first-hand experiences. Thomas was never afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig right in. Thomas was also very proud of his American Indian heritage.

Thomas enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with Thomas appeared effortless. He enjoyed researching all of his examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Plus, no matter where he traveled, Thomas always had a back up plan at the ready, just in case. Favorite vacations included motorcycling all the States west of the Mississippi on his Honda Goldwing with his buddies, Cruising with Mary to Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Caribbean and crossing the Atlantic from New York City to the Medditeraen.

Thomas was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Thomas's favorites was Vixen, a German Shepherd dog. They were best friends for 13 years. His other perts were Fatcat - Golden Tabby that he trained to shake hands and Squeakers a calico- that he trained to rub his legs for treats.

When Thomas's retirement finally came he had begun the process early and had his retirement all laid out well in advance. His new life involved relocating to Fort Mohave, Arizona, with his loving companion Mary Bolch. He found new pleasure in traveling around the world and motorcycling riding and cooking dinner for Mary. Even in retirement, Thomas continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances.

Thomas Arnold Estep passed away on January 18, 2011 at Valley View Medical Center in Fort Mohave, Arizona. He fought a brave battle against Lung Cancer. He is survived by his children Scott and Bonnie, his grandchildren Jakob and Caitlin, his brothers Ronald and Richard and his loving companion Mary Bolch. Services were held at Dimond & Sons Silver Bell Chapel. Thomas was laid to rest in Bullhead City, Arizona.

Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Thomas Arnold Estep. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved. Contents under the direction of Dimond & Sons Silver Bell Chapel, Bullhead City, AZ.

Same as what Cynthia says !

Happy Birthday Jim. Hope it was a good day.

Boland, Cheryl
Cheryl L. Boland
Born: April 9, 1944...
Died: August 7, 2016

Finally got this computer working correctly again. Wishing you a very happy but belated birthday. Hope it was a good one.

Thanks for the info Ed I certainly will check out the church website. Would love to see you at our 55th, Sept 2017.