Obituary of Stephen George Estes

Steve Estes was born in Olympia on February 14, 1948. He died at home on Saturday, January 25, 2014, after a year-long fight with brain cancer. Steve was a life-long Olympian. He graduated from Olympia High School in 1966 and attended Centralia College. He served in the U.S. Navy, on active duty in 1968-69. Steve married Valerie Garbini in 1971 and his son, Torry, was born in 1976. In 1995, he married his second wife, Kathy Beck. He worked for Thurston County Public Works until retiring in 1998 with the outlook that life is too short to let others tell you how to spend your time. Steve had many hobbies and interests, and enjoyed boating, his camping get-away above Hood Canal, restoring old cars, jeeping, auto racing, woodworking, milling lumber, metalworking, and deconstructing and reconstructing stuff. Steve had a life-long love of the bay. As a boy, he earned the right to get his first outboard motor, a 3-horse Johnson that he still owns, by swimming from his home on Sunset Beach across to the other side of Eld Inlet. One of Steve’s favorite things to do all his life was to stand knee deep in water, beer in hand, and enjoy the sunshine at one of his favorite beaches, such as McMicken Island, Hood Canal, the Gulf Islands or Zihuatanejo Bay. Steve is survived by his wife, Kathy; son, Torry of Bothell; and brother, Rick of Tacoma. He was preceded in death by his mother Marie, and father, Wesley. An informal remembrance will be held Saturday, February 8, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at Odd Fellows Beach Park. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to an organization of your choice. Some of Steve’s favorites were The Cousteau Society, Sierra Club and local land conservation funds. Odd Fellows Puget Beach Park is about 8 miles north of I-5 towards Johnson Point. From Olympia: 1. Take I-5 Exit 108 toward Sleater-Kinney Rd/College St 2. Keep left at fork, then take right on Exit 108-B, and right onto Sleater-Kinney Rd North (3.0 mi) 3. Turn slight right onto South Bay Rd NE (just past South Bay Loop); South Bay Rd NE becomes Johnson Point Rd NE (4.4 mi) 4. Turn right onto 78th Ave NE (0.9 mi) 5. Take 3rd left onto Walnut Rd NE (0.1 mi) 6. Take 1st right onto 79th Ave NE; follow to gated park at 6500 79th Ave NE, Olympia WA 98516 From Nisqually area: 1. Take I-5 Exit 111, turn right on Marvin Rd NE. Pass through 3 roundabouts on Marvin Rd. (3.5 mi) 2. Turn left onto 56th Ave NE (0.5 mi) 3. 56th Ave NE turns north to become Puget Beach Rd NE (0.7 mi) 4. Turn left onto 63rd Ave NE (0.3 mi) 5. Take 1st right onto Marvin Rd NE (1.5 mi) 6. Turn slight left onto 78th Ave NE (0.1 mi) 7. Take 1st right onto Walnut Rd NE (0.1 mi) 8. Take 1st right onto 79th Ave NE; follow to gated park at 6500 79th Ave NE, Olympia WA 98516 Please leave memories of Steve or condolences for his family in the Guestbook below.