Donald W. Estes

Staff
Posted 12/26/18

MENDOTA - Donald W. Estes, 73, of Mendota, formerly a 66-year resident of Aurora, passed away Dec. 25, 2018 at his home with his children by his side.

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Donald W. Estes

Posted

MENDOTA - Donald W. Estes, 73, of Mendota, formerly a 66-year resident of Aurora, passed away Dec. 25, 2018 at his home with his children by his side.

A memorial service will be at a later date as he has donated his body to science. The family is being assisted by the Schwarz Funeral Home, Mendota.

Don was born Dec. 10, 1945 in Aurora to Carl L. and Emma L. (Eggert) Estes.

Survivors include one daughter, Lynette Walter of Jacksonville; one son, Kenneth Estes of Jacksonville; one grandson, Andrew Walter (fiancée Monica Smith) of Deville, La.; one granddaughter, Caitlin Walter of Bronx, N.Y.; his brother, Gary (Mary) Reinert of Beebe, Ark.; and two nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and step-mother, Anna Estes.

Don had a typical 1950s childhood growing up on the west side of Aurora and participating in Cub Scouts and Little League baseball. In his senior year of high school, his family moved to the east side of Aurora where he graduated from East Aurora High School in 1964. That year, he married Sarah Marzuki and together they raised two wonderful children. Don worked for Modern Foundations, a construction company owed by his Uncle Andy. Later, he worked for Singer Sewing Company in downtown Aurora for many years. In retirement, Don was a driver for CTX Company out of Detroit, Mich. An avid fisherman, he was a life-long member of the Lucky 50 Club in Montgomery. A special joy for him was to take his grandson fishing for blue gill at the club.

Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society or Illinois Foundation for Deaf Children at Illinois School for the Deaf.