Ernie Estes - My Father in Law
It has been a week since my father in law went to sleep in Christ and I have been trying to find the right words to say about him. I cannot imagine another father in law who holds as much respect from a son in law as he has from me. There is so much good to say and condensing it into a short narrative is difficult but here goes.
“I was born to work” – That is the summary from his own mouth of what he was created to do.
“He was born to work in the service of others” – That is the summary from my own mouth of what he was created to do.
Ernie’s dad was born in Wild Horse Hollow Kennady in the Indian Territory now known as Oklahoma. Ernie himself was born in Paris, Texas. Those early years of his life are interesting and being the oldest of seven children he learned to work early and the value and satisfaction of hard work. He served his country in World War II in the 12th Air Force of the US Army Air Corps in the support group for the famed “Flying Tigers” attaining the rank of Sergeant before being honorably discharged at the end of the war. He worked for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad most of his working life, starting as a day laborer and advancing to Superintendent of the railroad due to his work ethic and leadership ability.
I have known Ernie since I was 15 and met his daughter Sue Ann while they were visiting in Sayre. Over those years I have observed a loving, giving, and unselfish husband, father and friend. Sue Ann and I married in 1974 and when Ernie would visit us in Oklahoma, he was always finding ways to help us with our household repairs, landscaping and anything else he could help with. In fact he would call Sue Ann ahead of time and want us to make a list of things he could do for us during the visit, refusing to be compensated of course.
“I was born to work” – That is the summary from his own mouth of what he was created to do.
“He was born to work in the service of others” – That is the summary from my own mouth of what he was created to do.
Ernie’s dad was born in Wild Horse Hollow Kennady in the Indian Territory now known as Oklahoma. Ernie himself was born in Paris, Texas. Those early years of his life are interesting and being the oldest of seven children he learned to work early and the value and satisfaction of hard work. He served his country in World War II in the 12th Air Force of the US Army Air Corps in the support group for the famed “Flying Tigers” attaining the rank of Sergeant before being honorably discharged at the end of the war. He worked for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad most of his working life, starting as a day laborer and advancing to Superintendent of the railroad due to his work ethic and leadership ability.
I have known Ernie since I was 15 and met his daughter Sue Ann while they were visiting in Sayre. Over those years I have observed a loving, giving, and unselfish husband, father and friend. Sue Ann and I married in 1974 and when Ernie would visit us in Oklahoma, he was always finding ways to help us with our household repairs, landscaping and anything else he could help with. In fact he would call Sue Ann ahead of time and want us to make a list of things he could do for us during the visit, refusing to be compensated of course.
I remember buying an old house in Shawnee for our son Jamie to live in while attending OBU and the plumbing was in bad shape. That was right up his alley. He came out and crawled under the old house and replaced all of the plumbing under the house. With every repair, tree planted, leaky faucet fixed, nail driven, hole dug, or fence repaired he was saying “I love you” and Sue Ann and I understood and were so thankful. I know he did the same for his other daughter Carolyn over the years. I don’t remember him ever saying “I love you” to anyone, it was just not his style. Doing things for others is the way Ernie expresses his love, and doing is far more powerful to me than saying the words.
As Ernie became less able to work, which was so important to him, he was ready and anxious to sleep in Christ and awake in His presence to be with Juanell, his wife and the love of his life. I have never known anyone who loved his spouse more than he loved Juanell. They celebrated 66 years of marriage before she went to sleep in Christ, and Ernie always treated their relationship as husband and wife as his absolute FIRST priority. The Bible tells us that God is "jealous" over his chosen nation Israel, referred to as His wife, especially when Israel paid more attention to other gods than Himself. God's jealousy toward his wife Israel reminds me of Ernie's jealousy when it came to Juanell. On occasion he got "jealous" when he thought Juanell was more interested in her parents, children, grandchildren, church or piano students than himself. But that is NOT a flaw. It speaks of his unconditional love for Juanell, just like God's love for Israel. That is exactly how one who loves feels when having to share that love with others. And genuine love for your wife is stronger than any other bond.
Even though he had that “jealous love”, it was also just as clear to me that he was proud of how much Juanell loved her parents, children, grandchildren, and the time she spent serving the music ministry of the church and teaching her piano students.
Ernie was a professing Christian. His faith in God was fleshed out over the years in daily life. He not only helped his friends and family, but he helped care for the church buildings he attended and would see to their maintenance and repair when needed. And Ernie had a beautiful voice and would lead the singing when asked while Juanell played the piano. His faith in Christ Jesus was genuine and exemplary.
Ernie went to sleep in Christ last week with his dignity intact, having fought the good fight of faith, and will continue to be remembered fondly by those who genuinely love and appreciate him for the life he lived in service to his country, his family, his church and his friends. Ernie will arise in the resurrection to be gloriously and eternally present with our Lord!
As Ernie became less able to work, which was so important to him, he was ready and anxious to sleep in Christ and awake in His presence to be with Juanell, his wife and the love of his life. I have never known anyone who loved his spouse more than he loved Juanell. They celebrated 66 years of marriage before she went to sleep in Christ, and Ernie always treated their relationship as husband and wife as his absolute FIRST priority. The Bible tells us that God is "jealous" over his chosen nation Israel, referred to as His wife, especially when Israel paid more attention to other gods than Himself. God's jealousy toward his wife Israel reminds me of Ernie's jealousy when it came to Juanell. On occasion he got "jealous" when he thought Juanell was more interested in her parents, children, grandchildren, church or piano students than himself. But that is NOT a flaw. It speaks of his unconditional love for Juanell, just like God's love for Israel. That is exactly how one who loves feels when having to share that love with others. And genuine love for your wife is stronger than any other bond.
Even though he had that “jealous love”, it was also just as clear to me that he was proud of how much Juanell loved her parents, children, grandchildren, and the time she spent serving the music ministry of the church and teaching her piano students.
Ernie was a professing Christian. His faith in God was fleshed out over the years in daily life. He not only helped his friends and family, but he helped care for the church buildings he attended and would see to their maintenance and repair when needed. And Ernie had a beautiful voice and would lead the singing when asked while Juanell played the piano. His faith in Christ Jesus was genuine and exemplary.
Ernie went to sleep in Christ last week with his dignity intact, having fought the good fight of faith, and will continue to be remembered fondly by those who genuinely love and appreciate him for the life he lived in service to his country, his family, his church and his friends. Ernie will arise in the resurrection to be gloriously and eternally present with our Lord!
No one is perfect in this present age, but to me Ernie was as close as one can get in this life, and I hope to become more like him as my time approaches to sleep in Christ Jesus, awaiting together our resurrection to a new creation, complete and perfect in Christ Jesus!
Several years ago Ernie typed a history of his family at his home in Santa Maria that I found last week on his computer. It is 32 pages so it is not for everyone but it has blessed me to read his thoughts about his family. If you’re interested I would be happy to email you a copy. Let me leave you with Ernie’s own words found on the final page…
“This makes up my family, which I can stand-up and say I’m quite proud of. God has blessed me and us, and will continue to do so if only we follow His commands and statutes that He has established in His Son, Jesus Christ. I am very thankful for His Mercy and Grace that has been extended to me over the years. Many times I have stumbled and failed Him but He has always been faithful to forgive me of my sins when I have repented and asked forgiveness. He has lifted me up and set my feet on the solid rock, Christ Jesus. There is none greater than He.”
Several years ago Ernie typed a history of his family at his home in Santa Maria that I found last week on his computer. It is 32 pages so it is not for everyone but it has blessed me to read his thoughts about his family. If you’re interested I would be happy to email you a copy. Let me leave you with Ernie’s own words found on the final page…
“This makes up my family, which I can stand-up and say I’m quite proud of. God has blessed me and us, and will continue to do so if only we follow His commands and statutes that He has established in His Son, Jesus Christ. I am very thankful for His Mercy and Grace that has been extended to me over the years. Many times I have stumbled and failed Him but He has always been faithful to forgive me of my sins when I have repented and asked forgiveness. He has lifted me up and set my feet on the solid rock, Christ Jesus. There is none greater than He.”