Philip Lee Estes

Philip Lee Estes was born on August 6th, 1940 to Geneva Canady & Victor Estes in St. Louis, Missouri. Their small family grew when his sister Janace was born a few years later. After growing up in the St Louis area he joined the US Navy in 1963 in San Diego and served his country as a hospital corpsman, traveling the world from Japan, Thailand, and throughout the South Pacific during the buildup of the Vietnam war.In 1967 after being honorably discharged from the Navy, he arrived at Kansas City College and Bible School to finish his college degree and met Susan Clare Olsen of Binghamton, New York that first semester. They were married after a whirlwind romance of one semester, on a snowy December 30th in 1967 at the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Binghamton, New York. The newlyweds returned to KCCBS in Overland Park, Kansas until 1970 where he taught classes, and also where they welcomed the arrival of their first child, Jennifer Lynn, in October 1969.In 1971 the young family moved to Nicholson, Pennsylvania where Phil took the pastorate at Green Grove Pilgrim Holiness Church. In September of that same year their second child, Philip Francis, was born.After a few years in Pennsylvania, in preparation for going to the mission field in Korea, the family moved to Columbia, South Carolina where Phil attended Columbia Bible College graduate school, followed by a year spent in preparation living locally here in Hobe Sound, Florida through 1975.Finishing their preparations, in the spring of 1975 the family moved to Seoul, South Korea with Evangelical Faith Missions of Bedford, Indiana. The next four years were spent on the mission field helping pastors at Lifeline Holiness Church as well as teaching bible classes at Korea Holiness Seminary. Phil and Susan’s deep-rooted love for Koreans was evident for a half-century, passed along to their children and grandchildren whose passion for the Koreans included many trips to Korea, the mentoring of dozens of graduate students (including many of whom received a doctorate), and an abundance of lifelong family friends. On a furlough back to the United States in 1977, their third and final child, Elizabeth Marie was born.In 1979 the family returned from the mission field and moved to Penns Creek, Pennsylvania where Phil took the role of Academic Dean of Penn View Bible Institute until 1981.In 1981 he was interested in more advanced theological education and the family moved to Greenville, South Carolina for him to attend Bob Jones University. After three years at BJU, Phil received a Masters of Divinity degree after which the family moved to Quincy, Illinois where Phil became the pastor of Quincy Church of God Holiness. At the close of the 1986-87 school year, soon after their daughter Jennifer graduated high school, an opening at Hobe Sound Bible College led to a family move back to South Florida. This move would become a long span of time for their life among friends and extended family in the Hobe Sound area. From 1987 through 1997 Phil was a bible teacher and professor at Hobe Sound Bible College where he taught many subjects including English, Christian Worldview, Acts, Greek, and Literature. He was a well-loved and respected teacher who challenged many students over the years to think deeply about their faith and walk with Christ. Phil’s love for books and learning led him to one final degree achievement at the age of 58: a Master’s in Library Science that he received from the University of South Florida, leading to a new role as the librarian at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Phil & Susan took a break from South Florida life for a five-year stint at Mount Vernon Nazarene University from 1999 through 2004, where Phil continued in his latest calling as a librarian there at the university. Grandchildren arrived quickly through these years and they returned to South Florida to enjoy family while Phil finished out his career at Northwood University. They enjoyed life, traveling to see children and grandchildren over the years, serving in many ways in local churches and ministries, surrounded by a medley of many good friends and a broad array of extended family. During the waning years of his working life and on into his retirement, Phil enjoyed a growing passion for woodworking that led to building out a complete woodworking shop with a significant investment in tools and machinery. In some ways, this passion grew into a nearly full-time business building furniture, framing photographs, and refinishing antique pieces for friends, family, and even for some clients on Jupiter Island. His pieces of furniture are found throughout his children’s and grandchildren’s homes and his eye and attention to detail made for some excellent workmanship. Throughout these years, if he wasn’t already busy enough, his impact was noted by so many through avenues like Bible studies hosted at their home, teaching Sunday School, singing and leading music, among many other acts of service and spiritual leadership in his communities. He even was the host of a short-lived email discussion list called “Issues of Faith” where many former students sought out his insight and wisdom on interpreting and understanding matters of faith and scripture. Around 2016 Phil started his long battle with dementia, a cruel disease for someone who had spent his life pursuing learning, loving books, and the life of academia. Thankfully, Phil held on to pieces of his keen dry wit and love of music until almost the very end. Philip Lee Estes passed away peacefully on Monday, December 16th, 2024 in the afternoon, surrounded by his wife and children and their spouses. He is preceded in death by his mother, Geneva Cude, and sister, Janace Estes-Schoettler, and her husband Henry Schoettler. He is survived by his spouse, Susan Clare Estes of Hobe Sound, FL and their three children and their spouses: Jennifer Lynn and Paul Pedersen of Bloomington, Indiana, Philip Francis and Margaret Ahlin Estes of Keswick, Virginia, and Elizabeth Marie and Michael Rocker of Stuart, Florida. He is also survived by his ten grandchildren, three of them married with spouses, and two great-grandchildren: Hallie and Liam Murray of Boise, Idaho, Zachary and Megan Pedersen of Lubbock, Texas, Brock and Brooke Pedersen of Indianapolis, Indiana, Carlie Pedersen of Bloomington, Indiana, Annaliese Estes of Brooklyn, New York, Andrew Estes of Palmyra, Virginia, Kirsten Estes of Nashville, Tennessee, Nathan Estes of Keswick, Virginia and Katarina Estes of Keswick, Virginia, and Adam Rocker of Stuart, Florida. Zachary and Megan Pedersen are the proud parents of his two surviving great-grandchildren: Nolan and Cooper Pedersen of Lubbock, Texas.

A Celebration of Life will be at the Martin Funeral Home & Crematory Chapel on Thursday, December 19, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. with a service beginning at 11:00 a.m.