Tommy K. Estes

Tom (Tommy) Kenneth Estes passed away on Sunday, July 24, 2022.

Visitation will be Friday, July 29, 2022 from 5-7pm at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road.

 Funeral service for Tommy will be Saturday, July 30th at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church at 10am, with Reverend Stan Allcorn officiating.

Tommy was born on November 22, 1934, to Dr. Bob and Lucille (McCaleb) Estes in Abilene, Texas. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1953. Following high school, Tommy attended the University of Texas where he graduated in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree. Upon graduating, he enlisted in the US Army and spent two years in France. He was called back in for service during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He received a master’s degree in education from McMurry College in their last master’s class in 1964. He married Bobbie O’Pry that same year and had two sons while serving as the head basketball coach in Graham, Texas. Better known simply as Coach, Tommy knew early on that coaching was his calling and spent his entire career impacting and inspiring those he coached and taught. His career included stints at Abilene Cooper, Abilene High School, Graham High School, and McMurry University. While at McMurry, he led the men’s golf team to TIAA championships in 1977, ‘79, ‘80, and ’81, and was an assistant coach on the 1980 national playoff football team and the conference basketball championship teams of 1979, ‘80, and ’81.  He then went on to lead Cooper High School to three straight 5A State Golf Championships in 1982, ‘83, and ‘84, which earned a Mayor’s Proclamation of Cooper Golf Team/Tommy Estes Week in 1984. After retiring from the public schools in 1995, he returned to McMurry University where he led the 1998 men’s golf team to the NCAA Division 3 National Tournament. Coach was inducted into the McMurry University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.          

Above all, Tommy loved his family, and he loved the Lord.  He lived out his faith quietly, but his love for people exclaimed it loudly.  He was a devoted husband, father, and granddad and never missed his sons’ activities unless his coaching and teaching commitments prevented him from doing so. Upon retirement, he loved traveling with Bobbie, playing golf, hunting, fishing, and playing with his grandchildren.

Tommy was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Dr. Bobby Jack Estes, and his sister-in-law, Lale Estes. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Bobbie Jean Estes, his son, Bob of Austin, his youngest son Jay and his wife Traci, of Melissa, Tx. and grandchildren, Paige Estes and Jack Estes, sister Barbara and her husband, Win McCombs of Fort Worth, Tx., sister-in-law and brother-in law, Cathy and Charles Morris of Allen, Tx., and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Marc Case, Dale Doby, Russ Evans, Ron Holmes, Greg Martin, and Harvey Oaxaca.

Honorary pallbearers will be all the athletes and students that Tommy coached or taught throughout the years.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your church or favorite charity.

The family wishes to extend our sincerest thanks to Kindred at Home, Kinder Hearts, Wisteria Place Legacy Lane, Hendrick Hospice, Dr. Jeffrey Edwards, Dr. Daniel Vaughan, and Dr. Robert Dickey.