Estelle Margaret Dean Kelly

Friday, 26 October 1942 – Saturday, 15 June 2024

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Estelle Margaret Dean Kelly, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, on Saturday, 15 June 2024 at the age of 81.

Estelle was born on Friday, 26 October 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio to delighted parents, Vincent Dean and Stella Jarecki. She grew up in the Midwest and Northeast. Her father passed when she was the tender age of four, but she has a soft memory. He refused to allow her to wear nail polish, and while he was away during World War II, her mother sent her father a picture of her standing outside, hiding her fingers. He wrote her a poem about a red thumbnail, which she cherished her whole life without him. She lived in the upstairs in a house with her Babcia living downstairs. She was raised by her mother, and her Babcia when her mother was at work. Her fondest memories were sitting in kitchen with her Babcia watching her cook. She said she always wanted to cook the same way, but she had small hands and could not measure ingredients the same way her Babcia did. Her proudest memory was when made her own muffin to show her mother. Large meals were made daily, and all the aunties and uncles gathered around to pray and share the meal. She always wanted that in her adult life, and four children, six grandchildren later, she would cook at all holidays and spend them with her family.

Estelle was a devote Catholic, loving grandmamma, avid pet lover, amazing crafter and master cook/baker. Her beliefs in the Faith were unwavering. She supported the Catholic Charities and St. Jude. Her son Vince and daughter Julie served as alter boy and alter girl for year and were a source of pride.

Her grandchildren were a major source of happiness, and she spent as much time babysitting and teaching them how to read, write, and draw as she could. Earlier in her life, she showed prize-winning purebred cats, and rescued ones as well. She loved crafting and quilting. Each holiday was an original design, which included making items for her daughters and grandchildren. She loved to vacation in St. Augustine and the family would all gather for a few days to walk along the beaches and enjoy the oldest city in Florida. For the last ten years, she and Frank, her loving husband of forty-nine years would travel to the coast and share rock shrimp, walk along the shores of Cape Canaveral and watch the ocean waves.

Professionally, Estelle worked her way up from the secretary pool to become an administrator and project management with ATnT, working there for over twenty years before retiring. She would travel and present at conferences, as well as manage a large department. She went to college and earned credits towards a degree. After retiring from ATnT, she took a position at Disney, working the Animal Kingdom and the Disney florist doing Magical Celebrations. She also became a fairy godmother at Bibbity-Bobbity-Bo. Due to her shorter stature, she appeared like a real fairy godmother in costume, so all the children wanted her to do their hair and sprinkle them with fairy dust.

She was known for her intelligence, diligence, meticulousness, sage advice, creativity, kindness, and generosity. Some of her recipes were collected and printed because they were so delicious, and her family wanted them. She never failed to support her children or husband in all their endeavors, professionally, educationally, and personally. Estelle will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her loving husband, Frank Brennan Kelly; her loving children, Elise McKenna, Gail DeLeon, Vincent Kelly, Julie Kelly; her wonderful grandchildren, Matthew DeLeon, Kyle Kelly, Zachary Kelly, Amanda Kelly, Maximus DeLeon, Coral DeLeon; her stepdaughter, Suzy Kelly Molbert and her children Kelly Ann and Daniel Brignac; and pet companions, Georgie, Teddy, and Willow. She is preceded in death by her mother Stella and father Vincent, as well as her stepdaughter, Elizabeth Ann, and many many pet companions.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, 27 June 2024 at 11:30 at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the cat rescue charity BROZANSKI FOR CATS https://www.brozanskiforcats.org/ in Estelle Kelly or Elise McKenna’s mum's memory.

She will be forever in our hearts and memories. Spoczywaj w pokoju. [Polish]

Requiescat in pace et in amore, Estelle Margaret Dean Kelly.