Most Reverend Joseph Walter Estrabrook

The Most Reverend Joseph W. Estabrook, D. D., a native of Albany, NY, died on February 4, 2012. He is survived by his mother, Genevieve, brother Timothy and his wife, Giselle, and by his sister Mary Ann and her husband, William. He is the son of the late J. Walter Estabrook formerly of Albany, NY. He has several nieces and nephews, William, Julianne, and Joseph Tortolano and Michael and Giselle Marie Estabrook. He also has numerous cousins and family members who reside in Saugerties, NY, and Hoosick Falls, NY.

Bishop Estabrook is an alumnus of St. Bonaventure University and Christ the King Seminary in Olean, NY. He was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest on May 30, 1969 for the Diocese of Albany, NY, and served as an Associate at St. Vincent de Paul Parish from 1969- 1971. Additionally, he served as Chaplain to the Parsons Child Development Center in Albany. He was appointed as the first Family Life Director for the Diocese in 1971 and served in that capacity until joining the Navy as a Chaplain in 1977.

As a Navy Chaplain he served on many ships throughout Europe, and then with the Marines at the Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia. After completion of studies at the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia in 1983, he was assigned to the Chief of Chaplains Office in Washington, D.C., and then to USS CARL VINSON (CVN70), an aircraft carrier serving the Pacific Fleet.

Father Estabrook graduated from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California in 1989 after successfully completing graduate studies in Ethics. He served at the Navy Air Station, Sigonella, Sicily and supported troops in the First Gulf War both in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He was the Chaplain Basic Course Officer, Navy Chaplain School, Newport, Rhode Island and returned to Washington, DC as the Executive Assistant to the Navy Chief of Chaplains. He also was appointed as the Ethics Consultant to the Navy Surgeon General and served on the Department of Defense Health Affairs Ethics Panel until 1997.

He was Fleet Chaplain, U. S. Pacific Fleet, with additional duty as the Senior Chaplain of the U.S. Pacific Unified Command from 1997 to 2000.

Monsignor Estabrook reported aboard as Command Chaplain, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay in September 2000 until his elevation to the Episcopacy on July 3, 2004 and retirement from the Navy in September of that year.

Bishop Estabrook became a Captain in the U. S. Navy in September 1995. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with two gold stars, the Meritorious Service Medal with a gold star, a Navy Commendation Medal with a gold star, four Meritorious. Unit Awards as well as a number of other medals and awards. He was made Honorary Prelate to his Holiness and given the title of Monsignor in March 1997, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, U. S. A. and Titular Bishop of Flenucleta on May 7, 2004, and ordained a Bishop on July 3, 2004. He was assigned to care for the faithful of the Archdiocese for the Military of the western vicariate since that time and resided at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, San Clemente, CA.

Bishop Estabrook is Fourth Degree in the Knights of Columbus and a Knight of The Holy Sepulcher.

Reception of the body will be at Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church, 8710 Mount Vernon Highway, Alexandria, VA 22309 on Thursday, February 9, 2012, from 6:30-9:00pm with a Vigil Service at 7:30pm. The Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:30 A.M.

In Albany, NY, there will be a viewing at 9:30 AM on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, followed by Mass at 11:00 AM

Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery, Albany, NY with Military Honors.