Richard Ballantine Estey Sr.

1933 - 2025

Richard Ballantine Estey Sr.
Jun. 23, 1933 - Nov. 3, 2025
Richard Ballantine Estey, graced this world with his amazing presence for 92 years. A committed husband, son, loving father and grandfather, career businessman, and community contributor, he passed away peacefully at Havencare at Filosa Nursing Home in Danbury, Connecticut surrounded by his loving family.
Richard was born in Rhode Island to the late Roger and Doris (Bradshaw) Estey. He grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and attended Classical High School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Following his father's agricultural career, he spent summers working in the local tobacco fields and later went on to earn his BA at Cornell University's Agricultural School in Ithaca, NY. Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, Richard served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. Later he earned an MBA at Cornell University's Johnson School of Business. Here he met the love his life, his wife of 60 years, Joan Hildebrandt Estey.
Richard began his career in banking in Ithaca, NY where he also started his family with Joan. After several years they moved to the beautiful country side of Watertown, Connecticut and expanded their family. Here he continued in banking at Waterbury Bank.
Eventually Richard made a career change to Corporate Real Estate and for the next several decades worked as The Director of Real Estate for Ciba-Geigy in Ardsley, NY. As an additional adventurous undertaking, Richard and Joan owned and operated Surry Mountain Campground in Surry, NH for 13 years. This was a family run endeavor which fulfilled his love for the outdoors and nurtured the same love in his family.
When the campground was sold, Richard and Joan bought a summer home on Long Pond in Lempster, NH. This was a family home which in addition to hard work of upkeep, provided countless hours of fishing, boating, swimming, blueberry picking and of course the mandatory sunset toast and campfires with singing and s'mores.
After retiring at age 65 from Ciba-Geigy, Richard went into commercial and private real estate for Coldwell Banker and other real estate companies.
Richard was a lover of life - a glass half full "don't worry, be happy" person. He had a passion for fishing - lakes, rivers, oceans - anywhere anytime and taught all of his children and subsequently grandchildren to fish in New Hampshire lakes and Connecticut streams when they were young. His annual Connecticut Shore Fishing Trip with his colleagues from Ciba- Geigy (aka the "Motley Crew,") was the highlight of the Fall Harvest Moon season.
Richard was very gifted musically and a leader in Cornell's Glee Club and Barbershop Quartet. His love of music led to singing in church choirs, the Connecticut Choral Society, and summer Berkshire choral programs, among many others. He also loved entertaining and acted in many local community theatre performances which fostered the love of theatre in several of his grandchildren. This came full circle when he was fortunate to be able to act with his grandson Daniel in several musicals.
Richard was very active in his church and local communities as well as with the Alumni Organization at Cornell. He was an incredibly hard worker who never complained and was always there to support his family financially and with play whether it was teaching them to play baseball in the backyard, toboggan down the back hill, or find berries to pick to make jam.
Richard leaves his four children and their families: Margaret Estey-McLoone and her husband, Kevin, of Brookfield, Connecticut; Diana Marie Estey of Bellingham, Washington; Richard Estey Jr. and his wife, Robin, of Yardley, Pennsylvania; and Alison Estey and her husband, Matt Guffey, of Stowe, Vermont. Richard leaves 10 grandchildren: Daniel, Melissa (Reed Grabowski), Heather, and Colin McLoone, Rachel, Caroline, Samuel, and Jonah Estey, and Tomforde "TJ" and Parker Estey-Guffey.
The family would like to thank all the special staff who cared for Richard in his later years both at home and at Havencare at Filosa. These beautiful caregivers always treated him with
respect and dignity. We are grateful for the sense of family that they created for all of us.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8 from 5-7 p.m. at the Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home in Woodbury, Connecticut. A Celebration of Life service will be held Sunday, November 9th at 2 p.m. at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brookfield, Conn. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to Connecticut Choral Society (ctcchoralsociety.org) and Trout Unlimited (tu.org).