Mary Estabrook

1930 - 2024

Mary Estabrook
April 15, 2024
It is with bittersweet sadness we bid farewell to Mary Bush (Bushie) Clement Estabrook, of North Branford, CT. She died at home, in her sleep, April 15, 2024; she was 93. Given her sense of humor, it is possible she orchestrated the timing of her death around the two inevitabilities of life, opting for tax day to let go of life. The days just preceding her death she took immense joy in seeing springtime, her favorite season, burst into bloom.
Mary Bush was a graduate of Westover School, Vassar College, and SCSC, where she earned her masters and Sixth Year degrees in Psychology. She and Henry W. Estabrook were married 58 years. Along with raising three daughters, she dedicated the next 19 years to the children of the New Haven Public schools as school psychologist.
Following the example of her father, Stuart Holmes Clement, and especially her mother, Margaret Clement, sister of CT Senator, Prescott Bush, and aunt and great-aunt of the former Bush presidents, Bushie was devoted to a life of service, on the boards of the Colonial Dames of Connecticut, the Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of CT, and Westover School, as longtime volunteer at New Haven Reads and Connecticut Hospice, and on a variety of committees at Evergreen Woods. She reluctantly, yet gracefully, relinquished these when she felt she could no longer contribute meaningfully. She was a member of The New Haven Lawn Club, The North End Club, and the Garden Club of New Haven.
Before suffering hearing loss she took tremendous joy in music: singing in school and college choruses, the New Haven Chorale, a local women's and family quartets. Playing alto recorder with her ensemble was a special favorite. She was athletically active most of her life, and enjoyed racquet sports well into her 80s. Relishing exercise classes at Evergreen Woods, walking in nature, watching birds at her feeders, the company of dogs, traveling with their dear friends and spending time with Hemmie at their vacation home in VT, all added up to a rich and happy life.
She is survived by her daughters, Margaret Stienstra (Pieter) of Zurich, Switzerland, Amy Estabrook of Mystic, CT, Elizabeth Estabrook-Hatfield of South Pomfret, VT, her grandchildren, Nicholas (Brooklyn) and Pieter (Melanie) Stienstra, Benjamin (Alison) Ross and Chelsea (Chris) Gagnier, two great-granddaughters, Bronwyn Ross and Caroline Gagnier, grand dogs and cats, beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband, two brothers, Stuart H. Clement, Jr. and Samual P.B. Clement, son-in-law, Robert Hatfield, and great-grandson, Noah Stienstra. Friends and local family are invited to attend a celebration of Bushie's life on Monday, May 6, at 2:30, at Evergreen Woods, North Branford, CT. She will be buried alongside Hemmy in a private ceremony in Boston, at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in her memory may be made to: New Haven Reads- https://newhavenreads.networkforgood.com/ ; Evergreen Woods Employees Scholarship Fund, c/o Alice Ell, 88 Notch Hill Rd., North Branford, CT, 06471, WebRequest@Evergreen-Woods.com ; Cornell Lab of Ornithology- https://give.birds.cornell.edu ; Yale New Haven Health at Home, 753 Boston Post Rd., Suite 220, Guilford, CT 06437.
Arrangements are with the Hawley Lincoln Memorial, Guilford.