Rita (Chaput) Estella 97 of Natick passed peacefully on Palm Sunday, March 20, 2016, at
Newton-Wellesley Alzheimer’s Center. Rita was born in Charlestown, MA, Feb 22, 1919, the fifth of ten children born to French Canadian parents, Mark and Alice (Lavoine) Chaput. Her parents, from Quebec, moved to Lowell earlier to work in the mills. Rita’s father found work on a farm in Natick and moved the
growing family out of the city. After early years in Natick, the family moved to Sherborn, where Rita and siblings attended Dowse Academy.
At age 15, Rita become a “mother” to her younger sisters when their beloved mother passed away from cancer. Rita met her future husband, musician Joe Estella at a dance in Natick, during the 40’s. They married, moved to Natick and together opened the Estella Music School on East Central St, which taught baby boomers to play instruments for decades to come. At their large house, family gatherings were hosted, for holidays, graduations, and many wedding and baby showers.
Rita was creative, curious, generous, and all were welcome at her table. Her talent to cook and bake, were outdone my her seamstress abilities. Rita learned to sew by re-making coats and clothes for her siblings. Rita created award winning costumes for Natick’s Fourth of July parade, designed and made intricate doll clothes, puppets, house furnishing, she was never without her sewing basket. Neighbors, friends and family loved the personalized decorated birthday and wedding cakes. Rita learned to upholster chairs, hang wallpaper,refinish furniture. NPR played in the background, Rita had voracious interest in books and could do New York Time Crossword puzzles in ink. Rita was inspired by nature, and would drive a car load of kids to ocean beaches and parks around New England. With dear friends she visited National Parks, traveled to Europe and eastern Canada. She joined efforts to plant trees in Natick, stood for peace, supported women’s rights. Rita loved learning about others, and had way of making everyone feel special, and honored their uniqueness. Days were filled with work and projects, but she took time to play cards, scrabble, upwards, laugh. Her large extended family cherish happy memories of adventures to Children, Art and Science museums, canoe on Charles River, ice skating, swimming at Farm Pond Sherborn, sand castles, kite flying in Newport RI, and picnics with amazing blueberry muffins. Music filled her life and Rita loved to sing and play the piano. Her beautiful voice brought joy to her caregivers during her final years. Rita’s family would like to thank all at Newton Wellesley Alzheimer’s for devoted, exceptional care and comfort.
She Leaves son Edward Estella and wife Lorraine of Southborough, Jane Estella of Pembroke, Mary Estella Bartlett and husband Michael Bartlett of Natick, grandsons Timothy Estella and his wife Susanna of Hopkinton, Jeffrey Estella and his wife Brenda of Southborough and Daniel Bartlett of Natick, five great grandchildren, sisters Peg Kosciuszek, Doris Marston, Dolly Werner, Toni, Musgrave, and Anne Baker, along with others to whom she was a ‘second mother” and dear best friend Carol Shedd of Wellesley.
She was the mother of the late Neal Estella and sister of the late Roland, Edward, Omer and sister Emma Mulhall
A writer of songs and poems - in her words
“We are all One Creation, the work of God’s Hands
We are all one creation, we are part of Gods Plan
Each Man and each woman, each Girl and each boy
We are all One Creation filled with Love and with Joy"
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Service on Saturday March 26 at 1:00 P.M. in St Paul’s Church Natick.
Visiting hours in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home 4 Park Street,at Natick Common are Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to The Natick Public Library 14 East Central Street Natick MA 01760 or to the Natick Community Organic Farm 117 Eliot Street Natick MA 01760