Harvey Estebo
Harvey I. Estebo, 90, of Waukon passed away Sunday, April 5, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon from natural causes after a lengthy illness. Funeral Services were held Monday, April 13 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing followed by graveside service at Lansing Ridge Cemetery.
Harvey Ingham Estebo was born and raised near Rake February 29, 1936. He was the youngest of 11 children of John and Hilda (Erdahl) Estebo. He was named after Harvey Ingham, editor of the Des Moines Register and Tribune and from whom his parents bought the farm near Rake.
Harvey was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Rake. He went to rural country school before attending public school in Rake and graduated from high school in 1954.
After graduation, Harvey attended Luther College in Decorah until the fall of 1956 when he went to San Diego, CA to live with a brother. While living in San Diego, he worked as a timekeeper for the Rohr Air Craft Corporation.
November of 1957, Harvey enlisted in the United States Air Force. Following basic training, he was assigned to Bunker Hill Air Force Base in Peru, IN as an administrative clerk.
Two years later, he was assigned to Nouasseur Air Force Base in Morocco and became an administrative clerk in personnel. Because education was always important, he found a way to continue college courses through the University of Maryland. In August of 1961, Harvey received an early release from the Air Force to go back to Luther College to achieve a degree in Business Education. Because he failed required short hand, he had to change his plan to elementary education. Subsequently, Harvey met Betty and they were married June 30, 1962. They then lived in Calmar where Betty taught school while Harvey completed his fourth year of college at Luther.
Harvey graduated from Luther College in 1963 with a B.A. degree in Business Administration and was offered a position as an assistant manager in Mason City with the S.S. Kresge Co. and later was transferred to a store in Rockford, IL.
While in Rockford, IL, he was offered a 3rd and 4th grade teaching job in a county school. The following year, he was offered a 6th grade teaching position in Winnebago, IL. Four years later, he accepted a 4th grade teaching position with the Rockford Public Schools in Rockford, IL.
In 1971, Harvey and family moved to rural Lansing where they purchased Betty’s family farm. He was also offered a position to teach 4th grade at the Waterville School with Allamakee Community School District.
While farming, he taught 4th grade and then 6th grade in Waterville for a total of 28 years. He continued with substitute teaching for an additional 25 years.
Harvey loved his teaching career and enjoyed working with his students. He appreciated their behavior and was always pleased with the respect they gave him.
He had many farming adventures involving family and neighborhood kids including raising and selling sweet corn during the summer. He also spent many years working for Pioneer as a seed corn inspector during the month of July.
Harvey was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing. He taught Sunday School and served on various church committees. Harvey was also a member of the American Legion in Waukon and was honored to receive a Quilt of Valor. He was privileged to go on a Freedom Honor Flight to Washington D.C.
Through the years, students helped celebrate his Leap Year birthdays, but his 21st and 22nd birthdays were the best birthday celebrations that he ever had! Students also honored him with an Honorary Chapter Degree from the Waukon FFA.
Harvey is survived by his wife, Betty, of 63 years; his son Duane (wife Becki) of Lansing; his daughter Carol (husband Richard) Finley of Albuquerque, NM; his sister-in-law Mary Winters of Lansing; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; three step-great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Hazel (husband Ralph) Anderson, Madelyn (husband Bertram) Satre, and Arlene (husband Thomas) Showers; his brothers, Arnold (wife Violet), Joseph (wife Evelyn), Sigurd (wife Donna), Wallace, John (wife Marlene), Vernon (wife Nancy), and Maynard (wife JoAnn); his father- and mother-in-law, John and Ermina Boyd; his brothers-in-law, William (wife Eleanor) Boyd and Donald Winters; and his sister-in-law, Lorraine (husband Walter) Johnson.
