Joyce Diane Estes got her angel wings early Tuesday morning, February 18, 2025. I am pretty sure she burst through the pearly gates with her very fun, lively, ornery personality and started taking charge. And I know for sure she was met by Mom and Dad and other loved ones gone before, and also all the furry babies that were a part of her life. WHOLE, HEALED AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF. To quote Billy Graham – “Someday you will hear that I have died. Don’t believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”
A Memorial Service celebrating Joyce’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Living Water Christian Fellowship, 10100 W. Highway 60, Canyon Texas with burial at a later time at the Dalhart Cemetery beside Mom and Dad.
Diane was born February 13,1957 to Horace Dean and Roma June Wilburn Estes in Dumas, TX. She was feisty from day one. Of the four kids, she had the most fun, colorful and biggest and bravest personality. She also had the HUGEST heart for kids and puppies and her family. She worked for District Attorney Barry Blackwell in Dalhart after graduating, then moved to Amarillo and worked at Phillips Petroleum for several years until they moved the offices to Oklahoma. She then was the assistant to Amarillo City Mayor Jerry Hodge for several years until he retired, and they remained lifelong friends. She next worked several years at Pantex while taking classes in the evenings and online to eventually achieve a master’s degree in social work. That became her passion, and she helped many people to get benefits they were entitled to. She loved fighting for the underdog.
She was the first child in our family to complete college. She was always a hard worker and if she loved you, she loved you with her whole heart. She also had one of those expressive faces that talked…. even if she didn’t say a word, you knew exactly what she was thinking. She was so full of life and love.
Diane was born with a special God gift of music and was multi-talented in that gift. She could play any musical instrument by ear and in any key. She played the organ, piano, accordion and also loved to sing. Growing up music and singing was central to our family and many times we all gathered around the piano and sang. We kids also learned to sing harmony and sang at church and various gatherings.
Diane was preceded in death by her mom, Roma June Estes, and later her dad, Horace Dean Estes.
She is survived by her siblings Wade Estes, LuAnn Taylor and husband Richard and Brian Estes and wife Susan, niece Ashley Smith and husband Cameron, Madilyn, Thatcher, Wyatt & Abbot, and nephew Tyson Taylor & wife Jenny, Henry, Soren, Margot and Hayes.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Gentiva Hospice, Living Water Christian Fellowship or your favorite dog charity.
Diane loved people and loved to help people. She was always lighting up the room with energy and faith. Her music was beautiful and it was always a joy to sing with her. She will be missed but the memory of her loving kindness will never fade away. She loved the Lord and served him through her work.
Diane helped my daughter and son in law adopt 4 siblings. They loved her as i did. I worked with her at BSA Hospice. She was very compassionate and helped many people. She will be greatly missed. Prayers for her family. “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”. I know she is.
It was a pleasure to work beside Diane at Hospice Care of the Southwest, which helped me to learn a great deal about hospice work. And, I never cease to wonder at the amount of details a social worker can hold in their mind. She was no exception.
And she saved the day once by playing the piano, on the spur of the moment, for the group of people gathered in one of our facilities!
You will be missed greatly, Diane! Blessings of peace and comfort to all your family and friends.
I will never ever forget the help and loving care she provided our family when we were losing our mother to cancer. From a grateful heart, thank you Deann