Estle and Wanda became active participants in their community and over the years were involved in Sertoma Club, Boy Scouts, and 4-H Club to name a few. Estle helped found the BALL (Be Active, Live Longer) Group and most recently consulted with the start of the Okmulgee Community Garden. Estle has been a member of the First Baptist Church of Okmulgee since 1947. He taught at Oklahoma State Tech until 1960 and then went to work at Thomas Nursery and Landscape in Tulsa. At the same time, he and Wanda opened Smith Nursery and Landscape from their backyard garden and greenhouse. Estle helped institute the ‘Up With Trees' program in Oklahoma and is responsible for many of the tree lined homes and highways around Oklahoma. Estle completed his Masters of Science in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University in 1971 and then returned to his real passion, teaching at the Lemley campus of the Tulsa Vo-Tech. He was such an inspirational teacher that he still hears from some of his former students. He taught them not only how to care for and nurture plants; but, more importantly how to care for and nurture human beings. After being corrected, one of his students once told him, "that he was the only man he knew that could step on his toes and not take the shine off his shoes". Estle retired from teaching in 1982 and he and Wanda retired the greenhouse in 1990. He continued to lecture at local groups throughout eastern Oklahoma and was often consulted in the ways of plants and trees by one and all. He was a loving husband and father and was the primary caregiver for Wanda when her health began to decline. Estle continued to enjoy golf and was very pleased that he was scoring less than his age, even at ninety-five. Estle's greatest enjoyment, though, was the strength his faith instilled and his love of the Lord.
Estle and Wanda became active participants in their community and over the years were involved in Sertoma Club, Boy Scouts, and 4-H Club to name a few. Estle helped found the BALL (Be Active, Live Longer) Group and most recently consulted with the start of the Okmulgee Community Garden. Estle has been a member of the First Baptist Church of Okmulgee since 1947. He taught at Oklahoma State Tech until 1960 and then went to work at Thomas Nursery and Landscape in Tulsa. At the same time, he and Wanda opened Smith Nursery and Landscape from their backyard garden and greenhouse. Estle helped institute the ‘Up With Trees' program in Oklahoma and is responsible for many of the tree lined homes and highways around Oklahoma. Estle completed his Masters of Science in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University in 1971 and then returned to his real passion, teaching at the Lemley campus of the Tulsa Vo-Tech. He was such an inspirational teacher that he still hears from some of his former students. He taught them not only how to care for and nurture plants; but, more importantly how to care for and nurture human beings. After being corrected, one of his students once told him, "that he was the only man he knew that could step on his toes and not take the shine off his shoes". Estle retired from teaching in 1982 and he and Wanda retired the greenhouse in 1990. He continued to lecture at local groups throughout eastern Oklahoma and was often consulted in the ways of plants and trees by one and all. He was a loving husband and father and was the primary caregiver for Wanda when her health began to decline. Estle continued to enjoy golf and was very pleased that he was scoring less than his age, even at ninety-five. Estle's greatest enjoyment, though, was the strength his faith instilled and his love of the Lord.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement