David Berry Estep

David Berry Estep, loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend, died peacefully on Tuesday, May 13. He was 78.

Born on February 24, 1947, David grew up in a rambunctious household with three brothers, one sister, and their loving parents, Preston and Lucy Maude Estep. He loved to tell stories of growing up on Upper Ladue and Foxboro Roads, playing with friends and neighbors until their mothers called them all home. David attended Country Day School and studied political science at American University in Washington, DC, University of Missouri, and Washington University in St. Louis—though, in his own words, he didn’t need a degree to determine when he’d finished his higher education.

David had so many experiences during his one lifetime. From life on the Current River to road trips around the country to settling down in Olivette with his family, he always chose the adventurous path. He liked to remind his children of what he called an “old hippie saying”: no inertia, always forward, never turn around. He was warm, kind, and terribly funny.

David was a self-taught carpenter. For years, he worked side-by-side with his brother, Stephen, building custom homes and furniture for many clients and friends around St. Louis. He was devoted to his family and friends, but most of all to his wife, Ginger, whom he had been married to for 41 years. They built a life filled with antiquing, road trips, good meals, lots of pets, and endless laughter.

David is survived by his children, Samuel Estep (Hilary), Louisa Fordyce Douglass (Thomas), Elizabeth Fordyce Petty (Mark), Adam Estep (Ashley), and Meagan Estep (Andrew Feliciotti); his beloved grandchildren, Jaren Estep, Audrey and Henry Estep, Gray and Eleanor Douglass, William and Lucy Estep, and Theodore and Fordyce Petty; his siblings, Tony Estep (Becky), Stephen Estep (Diana), Philip Estep (Mary), and Sallie Bhuller (Darshan) and their families. He is preceded in death by his wife, Ginger Honig Estep, his son, Zekiel Estep, and his parents.

David believed deeply in active, engaged citizenship to help shape the future of our world. To honor him, the family requests that donations be made to the following organizations in lieu of flowers:

Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at Washington University in St. Louis: gephardtinstitute.wustl.edu

Civitas STL: civitas-stl.com

Burial will be private.