John M. Estill

On Monday, August 12, 2019, John M. Estill (known to his friends as Mac), devoted husband, father, and community member, died in Millersburg, OH. He was born in Philadelphia, PA on January 23, 1942 to Macin and Adelaide (Duncan) Estill; the family moved to Millersburg when he was four years old. He served in the army from 1964 to 1965; he was stationed in Puerto Rico, and his experiences here began his life-long interest in the Spanish language. He started and did not finish degrees at Ashland College, Miami University, and the University of California at Berkeley, but the lack of a degree did not stop him from being a life-long autodidact who read incessantly about everything from computers and programming to religion to linguistics. In 1966 he traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico to study Spanish; there he met his wife, Graciela (Peart Hernández). After their marriage they moved to California where they raised their three children: Adriana, Ton, and Charles. He worked as a systems analyst for many years with Chevron Oil. After retirement he trained as a Spanish language translator and interpreter and worked informally with the Holmes County court system. All his life he sang, from the Millersburg High School choir to serving in multiple church choirs wherever he lived to his joyful guitar playing around campfires with friends. His deep, sweet baritone brightened his family's life. After moving home to Millersburg in 1994, he was active with Rotary and the Holmes County Democratic party. The rise of social media brought new ways for him to pass on his terrible dad jokes (ever heard the one about the guy taking the penguin to the zoo?) and his dedication to a better, more just world. He campaigned for gun control, health care for all, immigrant rights, and against Trump and his version of the Republican party. He would have been pissed that he didn't live to vote in the 2020 election. He would have read this obituary and pointed out every punctuation mistake and grammatical error. His sharp wit, generous soul, quiet love, and dedication to community will be remembered and serve as an inspiration. In death he will join his parents and brothers Duncan and Bruce. He is survived by his wife, Graciela, his children Adriana, Ton, and Charles, his grandson Nico, and his brother Roger (Denise), and many nephews and nieces. Memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, August 17th at Millersburg Presbyterian Church with Pastor Eldon Trubee and Father Ronald J. Aubry officiating. A luncheon will follow at St. Peter Catholic Church Community Center in Millersburg. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to donate to an organization close to Mac's heart: either the ACLU (https://www.aclu.org) or the Holmes County Education Foundation (https://www.hcef.net). 

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