Farley-Estes & Dowdle

Donald F. "Don" Estes age 81 of Battle Creek, C.E.O of Farley Estes & Dowdle Funeral Homes, died on Friday, July 4th 2008 at Borgess Medical Centerin Kalamazoo, MI, after complications from injuries he incurred in an auto accident in Plainwell, MI on June 17, 2008.

Don was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan to Clarence B. and Mary E. (Meehan) Estes on June 5, 1927. He was raised in Gary, Indiana where he graduated from Tolleston High School. Don served in the U.S Army during WWII and was assigned to the 8th Army Headquarters in Yokohoma, Japan with the Occupation Forces. He attended Indiana University but was loyal only to his other alma mater, Michigan State University. After that, he graduated from Wayne State University School of Mortuary Science in Detroit in 1952. Don was briefly employed in Detroit after graduation but then moved to Battle Creek in 1952 and joined the staff of Farley Funeral Home, and so began his 56-year career. He became partner at Farley Funeral Home in 1958. The firm incorporated in 1967 and the name changed to Farley Estes Funeral Home in 1983. Don remained the Chief Executive Officer and actively involved in the business until his accident. Don always managed to balance work and family. It was always family first, business second. So, after a nice family dinner, he'd make sure to properly excuse himself from the table to call the office. Don never retired.

Don served his apprenticeship in Lansing, where he met the love of his life, Dorothy L. Johnson and they married on February 3, 1951 in Battle Creek, MI. Surviving is Dorothy, his wife of 57 years; two daughters, Deborah J. (John) Dowdle and Deonne F. Estes, both of Battle Creek; two granddaughters, Stacey Smith of New York, NY, Jessica Smith of Battle Creek; three grandsons, Cory (Kori) Dowdle of Grand Rapids, Barton (Janelle) Dowdle of Augusta, Adam Dowdle of Kalamazoo; a great-grandson, Jackson Dowdle, another great grandchild on the way, and his sister, Norma Jean (Jack) Wallace of Valparaiso, Indiana. If you were in his family, you were inside his kitchen cupboard where he taped a list of all the family birthdays and anniversaries. He never missed them. He was as dutiful at remembering these important dates as he was relentless at photographing their occasions.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Floyd.

Don played an integral role to the city of Battle Creek, a city he loved. He worked on all the major Battle Creek Fund Drives through the years and served as chairman or division head of the Battle Creek Y-Center Drive, the Hospital Fund Drive, United Way Fund Drive, and the United Arts Council. He was a member of the planning Committee for NorthPointe Woods, worked on the fund drive and served as a board member. He was a former member of the Battle Creek Jaycees, served as vice-president and was awarded the Outstanding Young Man of the Year. He was a current member and the 1962 president of the Battle Creek Kiwanis Club, 1969 president of the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce, 1983 board president of Good Samaritan Hospice Care, former board member of People's Savings and Loan Association, board member of the Battle Creek Boy Choir, former member of the administrative board at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, a former chairman of its finance committee and served as a chairman of Chapel Hill Balloon Parking Committee. He received the Enquirer and News George Award in 1970. He was currently an active member at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Battle Creek Kiwanis Club, The National Funeral Directors Association and District #3 Michigan Funeral Directors Association. Involvement this grand of scale was proof that: even if Don did retire he would never stop working. Though consistently busy both by his business and his organizations, Don always found time to write in his daily journal. Priceless now are those pages where he jotted fond memories about family, community happenings, notable sports scores, or sometimes just the weather. He would notoriously quote from his journal by announcing, "Four years ago today..." Don was nostalgic in that he remembered, sentimental in that he wrote it down.

Don always had a way with words yet words fall short in explaining who he was. He is better understood by what he meant. Don was something to everyone and everything to the rest of us. He was a leader, a boss, a businessman, a family man. A man of tradition and a man of his word whom we were better for knowing, lucky if we knew him well, and blessed if he was family.

We weren't ready to say goodbye but do so in the same manner and grace Don went about his life. A good life it was.

Funeral services to celebrate Don's life were held at his funeral home Tuesday, July 8, 2008, with Rev. Dr. James M. Gysel officiating. Military honors and interment followed at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorial contributions were made to Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Battle Creek Community Foundation and NorthPointe Woods.

John F. Dowdle
John was born in Battle Creek, number four of six, to John F. and Mary Louise (Smith) Dowdle. He graduated from St. Philip Catholic Central, received his Bachelors in Business Administration from Western Michigan University and his Mortuary Science Degree from Wayne State University.

He began his career with Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home in 1972. John has been involved in many local civic and fraternal organizations and is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. He enjoys working outdoors in his yard, electrical and mechanical work and more than anything spending time with his wife, Debbie and his grown children, Cory (Kori) Dowdle, Bart (Janelle) Dowdle and Adam Dowdle. John has been a lifelong Detroit Tiger and Lion fan and also cheers on Michigan State. John currently serves as president of Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home.

Deonne Estes
Deonne has been involved with the company since 1977. Upon graduating from Lakeview High School and Michigan State University she worked part time at the funeral home before becoming full time in 1979. She was employed as secretary for the funeral home for several years before becoming their preneed representative. In 1988 she received her Resident Life Insurance License by the State of Michigan. This allows her to write insurance funded prefinanced policies as an option for families that may wish to pay their funeral expenses in advance.

Deonne has two grown daughters, Stacey Smith now living in New York City & Jessica Smith, of Battle Creek, MI.

Deonne has worked on several local committees since joining the company. Currently she is serving on the Battle Creek Community Foundation Scholarship Committee. She is a member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church.

Deonne’s duties at the funeral home, in addition to some administrative, primarily involve preneed, offering families options to make their final tribute unique as well as affordable.

Jonathon A. Barnes
Jonathon was born and raised in Battle Creek, graduating from Lakeview High School in 1995. He then furthered his education at Michigan State University, Kellogg Community College and in 1998 graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois. Receiving his mortuary license in 1999, Jonathon remained in the Greater Chicago area until joining our staff in June of 2003.

Jonathon and his wife Kristine, also a Battle Creek native continue to live in the Lakeview area with their three dogs and cat. They are members of the Lakeview Baptist Church and also attend the First Wesleyan Church. Jonathon has an active music ministry that allows him to travel to various area churches, believing the vocal gift God gave him should be used to tell others about God.

A true sports enthusiast, Jonathon is a Chicago Bears & White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Michigan State University and Detroit Red Wing & Pistons fan!! He also enjoys refereeing youth & high school football, spending time with his family & friends, skydiving on occasion, motorcycling, traveling with his wife and playing paintball.

Jonathon benefited greatly from the Shrine Hospital for Children in Chicago, Illinois. He therefore has a great passion for helping others in need and is very active in Community Service. Jonathon is a Past-President of the Cereal City Lions Club, a Past-Master of Battle Creek Lodge #12 F&AM, 2nd Vice-President of the Battle Creek Shrine Club and Secretary of its Mini-500 Patrol, Chief Ambassador of the Saladin Shrine Temple in Grand Rapids and a member of many other Masonic Organizations. He has also served as vice-president & Educational Coordinator of the Cereal City Chapter of BNI.

Ross M. Schimmel
Ross was born July 6, 1948, in Battle Creek, Michigan, the son of Clyde B. and Arlene E. (Best) Schimmel. He is a 1966 graduate of Battle Creek Central High School and served with the USNR, as a corpsman with a tour of duty in Vietnam with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines. He was Honorably Discharged from Active Duty in 1970.

He attended two years at Kellogg Community College, one year of apprenticeship at Farley, Estes and Schimmel Funeral Home, and one year at Wayne State University with a Certificate of Mortuary Science in 1975. He had three additional years of college at Michigan State University.

On December 31, 1995, Ross married Nanc C. (Drake) Wellever at the First Congregational Church in Battle Creek. He is currently employed at Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home, is manager of the Augusta Chapel and lives in Climax with his wife, dog and two cats.

Ross and Nanc have six grown children, Matthew R. Schimmel of Comstock; Sara A. (Schimmel) Bellin of Brussels, Belgium, married to Sebastien; Emily D. (Schimmel) Barda of Battle Creek, married to Dan; Ryan D. Wellever of Kalamazoo; Megan N. Wellever of Battle Creek; and Rory M. Wellever of Hollywood, California.

Charles H. “Charlie” Johnson
Charlie has been a licensed funeral director since 1977, serving families in the communities of St. Joseph, Dowagiac, Lansing, Battle Creek, Richland and Augusta, MI. He joined our staff in February of 2005. He attended the University of Kentucky and graduated from Western Michigan University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree. Then, Charlie graduated in 1976 with an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science from the Indiana College of Mortuary Science in Indianapolis, IN.

He is a Past President of Rotary; a Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus and a Past President of the Board of Directors for Cass County (MI) Hospice. An avid golfer and fisherman, Charlie is also a Die-Hard Chicago Cubs Fan (AND all Chicago Teams!); THE University of Michigan Fan and THE U (University of Miami, Florida) Fan. He and his wife, Cindy live at Sherman Lake in Augusta, MI, along with their Dalmatian, Zoey. They are members of St. Ann Catholic Church of Augusta and he is a member of the Gull Lake Area Rotary Club, Richland, MI. Also, they have two, grown children; Erik L. Johnson of Chicago, (Wrigleyville) IL and Kelsey L. (Mike) McEntee of Farmington Hills, MI.

Robert E. “Bob” Hegerberg
Bob was born September l7, 1938 the son of Emil K. & Edna B. (Bitgood) Hegerberg in St. Clair Shores, MI. His parents moved to Bath in 1943 where they both taught as school teachers. Bob graduated from Bath High School in 1957 and served his mortuary apprenticeship at the Estes-Leadley Funeral Home in Lansing. He attended Adrian College and completed his education at Wayne State University, Department of Mortuary Science in 1962.

After working in Lansing, he and his wife Susan moved to Battle Creek in 1963 where he was employed at the Farley Funeral Home. Bob managed the Farley-Kelser Funeral Home in Marshall for several years and returned in 1976 to serve the families in Battle Creek. He is a past member and President of the Battle Creek Jaycees, elected a JCI Senator, member of Maple United Methodist Church where he served on the Church Council as President, 1979 Past President of the United Arts Council and was also fund raising chairman, past president of the local American Heart Association and past member of the State AHA Board of Directors, member and Charter President of the Pennfield Exchange, Battle Creek Lodge #12 F&AM.

Bob married the former Susan Carole Roberts on June 23, 1962 at the Martha Mary Chapel at Green Field Village in Dearborn. They have two children; Jeff R. (Stacey) Hegerberg of Lake Orion, MI and Sheri L. (Don) Berry of Battle Creek and a grandson, Jack Robert Hegerberg.