Frances Estes

Frances Estes passed away peacefully early in the morning, March 25th, at City Hospital at White Rock Lake. The cause was injuries resulting from a series of falls. She was known throughout the Metroplex as a professional oboist and English horn player, having played with the Fort Worth Symphony earlier in her career, and continued to perform at smaller venues with first-rate groups until her death. She was married to Ed Estes, an equally talented professional musician, who passed away in 2005. Together, they were an ideally matched pair who brought thousands into their world through music and teaching. They were beloved. In addition to her music profession, Frances taught second grade for over thirty years at Caldwell Elementary in Garland while Ed was performing and directing bands at several other schools. She was a member of Casa Emmanuel United Methodist Church and lived in the same home in Dallas for sixty-five years surrounded by neighbors who treated her as they would their own families a relationship which she fully reciprocated. Frances Halstead was born in Ft. Worth, Texas, and was raised predominantly by her grandparents in Cisco. She is a graduate of Texas Christian University where she met Ed. Frances is survived by her cousin, Cecilia Cameron of Ennis, cousins Trish Yeates, Jan Staffileno, Linda Barclay Newton, Winston Lewis Barclay, a nephew, Dick Estes, and a niece, Elizabeth Estes Baldwin, their families, and a wide circle of friends. She recently lost her two housemates, which she would have wanted to mention, cats Angel and Pasha.