Mary Ellen Cortez Stein

1952 – 2025

Mary Ellen Cortez-Stein was born Mary Ellen Cortez in 1952 in Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato, Mexico, to Tony Cortez, a Nebraska native, and Linda Cortez. She was the third of five children, preceded in life by her eldest brother Louis and her sister Margaret, and followed by her younger brothers Stephen and Javier. She was raised in San Francisco’s Excelsior District, where she attended Balboa High School and excelled as a swimmer.

Mary built a long and respected career at PG&E as a Purchaser, followed by years of dedicated service with the City and County of San Francisco, working at City Hall as a Purchaser. Along the way, she earned professional certificates from local universities and became known as someone colleagues loved being around—the life of the party at business events, always warm, funny, and unforgettable.

In the late 1970s, Mary married Salvador Rios and welcomed her children Mark and Lisa. In the 1980s, she married Joe Maita and had two sons, Joey and David. In 2009, she married Russ Stein, becoming a loving presence in the lives of his sons Kevin and Kyle, whom she embraced as her own.

A devoted Catholic, Mary attended Spanish Mass faithfully and grounded her life in faith, family, and community. She was deeply social, endlessly friendly, and instantly remembered by the people she met. Even her email address, Totally Cute Mary, captured the playful charm that everyone recognized in her.

Mary had a generous spirit. She delighted in giving gifts, checking in on friends and loved ones, and helping whenever they needed support. She also had a passion for jewelry and shopping, and she never missed a good sale. She loved swap meets and attended them even while vacationing. Two of her favorites were the Maui Swap Meet and the Mesa Swap Meet.

Mary Ellen Cortez-Stein lived with heart, humor, generosity, and style. She will be profoundly missed by her family, friends, and all who were touched by her warmth.

Preceded in death by her parents, Tony Cortez and Linda Cortez, and her brother Stephen Cortez.

Survived by her husband of 16 years, Russ Stein of Arizona City, AZ; her sons Mark Rios of Portland, OR, Joey (Elissa) Maita of Brentwood, CA, and David (Madeline) Maita of Livermore, CA; her daughter Lisa Flores (fiancé Kevin) of Livermore, CA; her stepsons Kevin (Sabrina) Stein of Tolleson, AZ, and Kyle Stein of Arizona City, AZ; her grandchildren Ainsley, Mateo, George, Brixson, Makenna, and Elanor; her brother Louis Cortez of San Jose, CA, her sister Margaret Abballo of Sebastopol, CA, and her brother Javier Cortez of Las Vegas, NV.

Mary’s kindness, laughter, and unmistakable warmth will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.