Mary Theresa "May" Estrada

Mary (May) Theresa Estrada (nee McLoughlin), age 92, died peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones in Columbia, MD on November 16, 2024. May was born with her twin sister Betty on October 5, 1932 as the fourth of seven siblings to Terence and Elizabeth McLoughlin. She was born and raised in the Customs House in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. As a strong math student and conscientious worker, May worked at a bank in Belfast after graduating high school. Following her father’s passing, May and most of her family made the brave decision to move to Philadelphia in 1956. A short while after living in Philadelphia, May met Al, the love of her life, at a church dance. May and Al were married in 1959, developing a love that lasted the rest of their lives. They initially settled together in Endicott, New York, welcoming their first child Annette in 1960. The following year their first son, John was born and they relocated to the DC suburbs. Over the next 8 years May became the cherished mother of three more children, Beth, Michael, and Paul. When her children were older and approaching college, May decided to return to work, enjoying a successful career as an executive assistant at Merrill Lynch and fostering her lifelong keen eye and interest in the stock market.

May and Al shared a love of traveling, living in several places in the US and abroad throughout their lives together and creating life-long friendships wherever they lived. While living in England and then following Al’s retirement, they traveled the world with close friends and with her beloved twin sister Betty and brother-in-law Jerry.

May dedicated her life to creating a loving home for her husband, children and grandchildren. With Al, she enjoyed hosting fabulous dinner parties and impromptu neighborhood dance parties and loved having her children, grandchildren and extended family visit for holidays and family events. She was an avid reader, a fabulous cook, a very competitive game player, an excellent bridge player and a skilled Boggle and Words with Friends player. A beloved Nana, she entertained her grandchildren by making up bedtime stories and “playing school” with them when they were young, and taught them how to knit and how to make Irish soda bread and Slim when they got older. May would happily discuss the latest ups and downs of the stock market with anyone who shared her interest. She was known by many as “Wee May” and for calling everyone “Love” in her subtle Irish brogue. She was incredibly generous, loved her family fiercely, was a loyal and devoted friend and always enjoyed “a good cup of tea.” May was also incredibly devoted to the Catholic Church and was steadfast in her faith.

May is preceded in death by her beloved husband Al, daughter Annette, parents, and five of six siblings. She is survived by four of her children John, Beth, Michael and Paul along with their spouses, Beth, Don, Julia and Jennifer. May is also survived by her brother Terence, and her 10 beloved grandchildren, Mike (Kelly), Shawn, Catherine, Suzy (Andrew), Julie, Tommy, Annette, Ryan, Ally and Riley.

A visitation to honor and celebrate May’s life will be held at Gary L. Kaufman Funeral Home at Meadowridge Memorial Park, Inc. 7250 Washington Blvd., Elkridge, Maryland 21075 (Exit 6 South off Route 100) on Friday, November 29, 2024 from 4:00-7:00 PM.

A funeral Mass will be held at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Road, Columbia, Maryland 21044 on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 10:00 am. Inurnment private.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in May’s honor to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation www.themmrf.org.