Mary Lee Estes

1942 - 2021

Born Sept 11, 1942, in Houston, Texas to Mary Virginia (Boyd) Colston and George Lee Colston. Died September 19, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska, surrounded by the love of family and friends. She was 79 years old.



Born and raised in the Tomball, Texas area, Mary attended Texas Woman's University, where she majored in English and met her lifelong friend, Linda. Upon graduation in 1964, she and Linda moved to Crownpoint, New Mexico where they both taught at the Navajo Reservation. After two years, Mary moved to Alaska on another adventure "on my way around the world," she said. She got a job teaching special education at the "Kenai School" in 1966. (She was the first Special Education teacher on the peninsula!) In 1967 she met Don Estes at Larry's Club (at the restaurant, NOT the bar, she insisted) and they married in 1968. Mary's job as a special education teacher turned into a position as librarian first at North Kenai Elementary, then Kenai Elementary and finally Mountain View Elementary, retiring in 1996. Her love of books, reading, storytelling, elephant jokes and all things Texas is legendary among her family and a whole generation of students who attended those schools. Even after retirement, Mary spent many years volunteering and subbing in local schools before "snowbirding" in Las Vegas to enjoy retirement, be closer to extended family, and work on her many projects.



The self-appointed memory keeper for the family, Mary will forever be remembered as a voracious storyteller, creative scrabble player ("Texas Rules!") and fierce protector of all her kids. Her gregariousness, imagination, patience, kindness, generosity, and unconditional love for her family and friends will be sorely missed. While Mary never made it around the world, she created a world of love, laughter, adventures and stories with her family, friends, and the students who were lucky enough to know her.



Mary is survived by husband of 54 years, Don Estes of Kenai, Alaska; Daughters Dawn (Bryce) Choate of Kenai, Audrey (Tracy) Alfson of Houston, Minnesota, and Cindy (Bryan) Goforth of Boise, Idaho; Grandchildren Rachel (Mike), Adalynn, Alex, Hailey, Madison, Kennedy, and BryLee; Great-Grandson Jameson; Sister-in-Law Cecilia (Cecil) Colston; Best friend Linda (Ross) Heiland; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.



She is welcomed to Heaven by her parents, her brother Cecil and sister Barbara, and the ancestral family whose stories she has so lovingly collected and preserved over her lifetime.



In honor of Mary, her family asks you to put a book in the hands of a child: donate books or money to your local library or school; or at the very least, at every opportunity, gather the children around you and share your stories.



Her family will be holding a private memorial later this month. A Celebration of Life for all friends and family will be held August 2022.