20 Jul 2020 Couples: Gena and Tim Ester
HER Gena Maltbia Ester
Native of: Conway.
Education: 1983 graduate of Conway High School; 1987 graduate of Hendrix College with a bachelor of arts degree in economics and business with an emphasis in accounting.
Job: Assistant vice president/senior credit analyst, Centennial Bank.
Parents: Lee and Barbara Maltbia of Conway.
Community activities: Member of the Pine Street Backpack Program since 2008. I am responsible for grant writing and fundraising.
Church activities: A member of True Holiness Saints Center, where I serve as a team leader of the Women’s Life Group Ministry and as chair of a committee that serves to aid our pastor.
Hobbies/special interests: Shopping is my greatest hobby; however, I also love spending time with my family, particularly my grandson, Zeke, who is almost 3 years old.
How would you describe yourself: I am very methodical. I live to “check boxes” because it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I am a very detail-oriented person. I tend to analyze things to death!
Most enjoyed weekend activity: Family dinners and family time on Sundays after church. My children come over every Sunday after church, and we have dinner. Later that evening, the party moves to my parents’ house next door, where we gather with some of my siblings and their children until dusk.
What do you enjoy most about living in the 501: Living in the 501 is the only place I know. When my husband and I married, we built a house right next door to my parents. We live in a “semi” country spot right on the outskirts of the Conway city limits. We have the convenience of the city because we are a couple of miles away from the Commons Mall and Lewis Crossing, and the luxury of country living on land with nothing but family and lots of acreage surrounding us.
HIM Tim Ester
Native of: Menifee.
Education: I am a 1983 graduate of Morrilton High School. I attended the University of Central Arkansas my freshman year.
Parents: The late Dorothy Lee Tolbert and Joe Nathan Smith.
Community activities: Co-founder of the Pine Street Backpack Program. Prior to forming the Backpack Program, the Pine Street Community Development Center and Ester Properties hosted similar backpack programs in adjoining neighborhoods. In the summer of 2008, we decided to pool our resources and expand our territory to reach more families in the Pine Street community and other local residents. Little did we know there would be an overwhelming need, and we would serve backpacks to more than 300 children in a single day. That moment gave me the momentum I needed to ensure this program continues to benefit our community. Fast forward 12 years to 2020, and we have provided school supplies to more than 10,000 children in Faulkner County and raised nearly $200,000.
Church activities: I serve on the Deacon Board and as the chairman of the Finance Committee of True Holiness Saints Center.
Hobbies/special interests: I love watching sports, mostly football. I love the Hogs, the Devil Dogs, the Wampus Cats and I am a huge Dallas Cowboy fan.
What is one thing people don’t know about you: I absolutely hate pizza, and I am not a foodie. People think that because I have worked in the restaurant industry pretty much all of my life, I would be a food lover. That is not the case. My wife will tell you that I don’t like to try things.
Most enjoyed weekend activity: I enjoy spending time with my grandson, Zeke. On weekends, that is the time his Gigi and Papa get to spoil him, and then we send him back home to his parents. He typically wears us down to the point it takes us a couple of days to recover.
What do you enjoy most about living in the 501: I have lived in the 501 all of my life. Most of our family also live in the 501. I am amazed at how much Conway has grown and changed.
THEM
Residents of: Conway.
When/how we met: We first met at a company picnic where both our mothers worked. At that time, we were teenagers in junior high/high school. The second time we met was years later (we were freshmen in college) through a mutual acquaintance who thought the two of us were right for each other. Gena always had her eyes on me from afar. She made it a point to drive past my house every day to go to class.
The proposal: I believe Tim was planning to propose in a romantic setting on one knee; however, he didn’t get that opportunity. Tim asked me what I wanted for graduation, and I told him a ring; then I went with him to pick it out. I was so eager for us to get engaged, I just decided to go to his house one day and get the ring and wear it so everyone would know we were getting married.
Wedding: We eloped to Eureka Springs on Saturday, Sept. 16, 1988. Nothing fancy, but we had the time of our lives!
Children: Timothy “Jordan” Ester, our 22-year-old son who is a full-time finance major at the University of Central Arkansas and a full-time mortgage originator assistant at Centennial Bank. Kiera Oluokun (husband, Seyi), our 30-year-old daughter who is the director of community development for the City of Conway and the mother to our one and only grandson, Ezekiel (a.k.a. Zeke), our pride and joy.
Family activities enjoyed together: We love to travel whenever we can. Florida has been our family destination over the years, whether it is relaxing on the beach in Destin or park hopping in Orlando.
