Estes, Theresa “Teri” E. September 3, 1943 - September 13, 2022

Theresa Elizabeth Arbogast Estes was born on Friday, September 3, 1943 at the Greenbriar Hotel in White Sulper Springs West  Virginia. She was born to Elizabeth Gertrude Whiting and Robert William Arbogast. She graduated from White Sulpher Springs High School in 1961 and found herself accepted to West Virginia University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree in 1966. She often reminisced about how she had worked hard and put herself through school. She lived in a co-op house after her freshman year to save money. She was strong, independant, and thrifty even then. She married Robert S. Kun on September 2, 1965 and from that union, her daughter Katrina Michelle was born.

The young family moved to Missouri in the fall of 1966 and Teri began her teaching career for the Kansas City, Missouri Public School system. She taught human biology and science there for for the next fifteen years. During that time she divorced Robert and in September 1977 her son Roy Hershel came into her world. Shortly after Roy’s birth, she felt the draw of home and returned to West Virginia to be closer to her aging family. She took a teaching position at Mussleman High School in Bunker HIll, West Virginia in 1981 and along with that position came the added task of cheerleading advisor. Teri fell into this role with a passion and became the beloved “Ms. Kunie” to her squad.

She remained there until 1985 at which time her life’s path brought her back to Missouri and the Kansas City, Missouri Public School System. She had many interests back then and decided to start taking square dance lessons. That choice lead to the greatest love of her life, James LeRoy Estes. During the course of classes they fell in love and on July 19, 1992 they were married. Also during that time, Teri became a grandmother. Teri and Jim settled into married life and continued to square dance. Teri also learned to klog and enjoyed both of these activies immensely. She also became a grandmother again, and again, and again, and again.

Having been an educator, mentor, and parent, Teri found her true life’s calling when she and Jim became the guardians for Teri’s grandchildren.  Together Teri and Jim began their “retirement” as parents.  They taught the grandchildren life’s lessons by choring on the farm, attending church, and taking them to many gospel and bluegrass festivals. As the children got older, Jim and Teri became pillars of the community by attending nearly EVERY sporting event, FFA meetings and fundraisers, and whatever club the kiddos were interested in at that time. Through this, Teri became active in many things within the community.

Once the kids graduated and left the home, Teri filled her days with the Missouri Retired Teachers Association (MRTA) of which she was the president of the local chapter. She also served as secretary for the Osceola “Histerical” Society. She had a love of art, books, bluegrass music, education, nature, science, dancing, but most of all a huge love for the ones closest to her heart; Jim, her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren.

In December of 2019, Teri was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer and after a long, tough batttle,  she passed at home on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. She was surrounded by Jim, her children, and grandchildren. She was preceded in death by both her parents Elizabeth Gertrude Whiting and Robert William Arbogast, along with her infant brother Vincent Arbogast, and sister Diane Arbogast Buzzard.

She is survived by her brother Michael and Clara Lou Arbogast of Union, West Virginia; loving husband of thirty years Jim of Osceola; her daughter Katrina M. Taylor, also of Osceola; her son Roy H. Roy, III of San Francisco, California; granddaughter Tiffany Taylor and her significant other Chris Roberts of Osceola; grandson Caleb Taylor and great grand-daughter Jayla Taylor of Osceola; granddaughter Kaitlyn & Jonathon Smalley and great granddaughter Sadie Smalley of Walker, Missouri; granddaughter Danielle Taylor and her significant other Jacob Osborn and step-great-granddaughter Mahlon Osborn of Lowry City; granddaughter Hayley & Colton Rowell of Omaha, Arkansas. Also surviving Teri are many cousins and many more friends from Missouri to West Virginia and back.