TRIBUTE
Joanne Estes 2019 Oklahoma Freewheel Dedicated to Estes’ Memory by Lori Roll Joanne Estes was “Sweet Joanne” to all who knew her. Just tional riders gathering in Wichita, Texas for four days of chalask Bill, her husband of 56 years. “She was a neat person. She lenging and inspiring cycling activities. “Joanne and I were loved people and people loved already signed up for Hotter’N her,” he said. “I was one lucky Hell the year she died, so the JOANNE & BILL ESTES person. She was the prettiest day after we buried her, Peter girl I ever saw, and I married her.” and I did the ride together. The KOA had a sign in loving memJoanne woke one morning ory of her.” last August and told her husband she had a headache. Bill and Joanne rode for more When the headache persisted than 15 years in the Oklahoma for two days, they went to the Freewheel annual cross-state emergency room. Four days bicycle ride. Oklahoma Freewheel later she was hallucinating. She is a not-for-profit corporation was transferred to a Tulsa hosfounded in 1979 to promote pital where she died, just 12 amateur bicycle touring, cycling days after the repercussions of as part of a healthy lifestyle, and a tick bite caused her organs to tourism in Oklahoma. Over 1,000 shut down before she could be cyclists ride 500 miles of rural positively diagnosed with EhrliOklahoma roads, where they are chiosis and treated. greeted along the way by small towns putting out church dinners, “I, along with most people, baked goods, and ice-cream had never heard of this disease. stands. Hundreds of well-wishIt is common in Oklahoma and ers cheer them on. “We usually is sometimes difficult to identify ride about 60 miles a day, then until it is too late. If diagnosed in camp in tents or indoor spaces time, humans and pets are prefor the night,” Bill said. scribed the same antibiotics. Vets in this area are very familiar with it,” Bill said. Joanne’s The Oklahoma hills and wind make the ride very challenging, funeral at the First Baptist Church filled the nave and lobby with and Bill decided after 15 years to stop doing the tour. “I don’t her many friends. “I lived with her, but I didn’t realize how many enjoy the camping as much anymore. But Joanne loved every lives she touched. That’s the example of how many people minute of it. You can pay to have your tent set up, but she said loved her,” Bill said. putting up the tent was half the fun. Even though Joanne suf“If she knew you or heard of you, you got a birthday card. I fered with terrible arthritis, she kept right on. She rode in the jokingly told her we paid more postage than a lot of small busiOklahoma Freewheel for the 18th time the month before she nesses. She was very thoughtful that way.” died. She loved Freewheel and they loved her.” One of two daughters, Joanne and her sister were raised by their father, a high school principal and coach, when their mother died of cancer shortly after Joanne was born. “She never knew her mother, but she was very artistic and beautiful like her mother,” Bill said. Joanne was active at church, loved working in the yard, painting, designing, and making her own clothes. The couple began bicycling in 1989 and joined the Bartlesville Peddlers, which Bill still enjoys with their son Peter. They also participated in Hotter’N Hell, one of the largest and oldest cycling events in the nation, with over 13,000 interna-
The 2019 Oklahoma Freewheel is dedicated to Joanne, an honor her husband believes would make her happy. Bill, Peter, daughter Martha, and several grandchildren are joining the ride from Hugo, Oklahoma to Sedan, Kansas. It begins June 9, on what would have been Bill and Joanne’s 57th wedding anniversary. “Our family feels the dedication to Joanne is as good a tribute as you could get. Peter and I will do the whole ride. I’m going to be 80 and this will be my final Freewheel,” he said. “But I’ll still ride with the Peddlers. I just rode 45 miles last Saturday.” JUNE 2019 | b Monthly
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