NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — John Joseph Estes, 76, passed away peacefully on Feb. 24, 2026, after a long battle with cancer.

John was born in North Adams on May 7, 1949, the eldest son of Lester "Flash" Estes and Ida (Maroni) Estes. He graduated from the former St. Joseph's High School in 1967 and from North Adams State College in 1971. It was at NASC that he met his wife-to-be Donna Marie Jolin. They were married in May of 1972. 

After college, John started teaching at Clarksburg Elementary School, where he would stay for 35 years, retiring in 2006. During the summer months, you could find John working at Natural Bridge State Park.

Coaching was a passion of John's. He coached at Clarksburg, North Adams State, Drury, and McCann, amongst others. He was inducted into the Berkshire County Girls Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.

A lifelong sports enthusiast, John was a diehard Packers and Dodgers fan, teams that he latched onto by tuning into distant radio broadcasts on his AM radio. Horse racing was another of John's passions, which started with selling programs at Green Mountain Racetrack. Summer treks to Saratoga in August with friends were frequent. 

Spending time with his grandchildren brought John great joy. Even while battling illness at the end of his life, he almost never missed one of his grandchildren's games.

John is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Donna Jolin Estes; his two children, Deron Estes and his wife, Suzanne-Newby Estes, of Amherst and Amy Estes Cyr and her husband, Carl Cyr, of Hadley; his four grandchildren, Jackson Estes, Sadie Cyr, Teddy Cyr, and Henry Estes; his brother David Estes and his wife, Judi Estes, of Bennington, Vt., his aunt Maryann Maroni and many cousins.

We would like to thank his family and friends who stayed in touch and supported him when he most needed it and CDH Hospice for their gentle care and guidance through some very difficult times. We would also like to thank Berkshire Medical Center Oncology, CDH Cancer Center, and Brigham & Women's for all the care they provided.

FUNERAL NOTICE: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga.

Please join us for a Celebration of Life at 3West in the Norad Mill, Suite 305, 60 Roberts Drive, North Adams, on Monday, March 9, from 4 to 7 p.m.