Mary Estella Lopez Laguna

Born in 1953, Estella was the daughter of Guadalupe Laguna of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Vincent Lopez of Waco, Texas. She grew up in Fort Wayne, graduating from Elmhurst High School in 1971. She was raised by her grandparents, Petra and Francisco Laguna, who subsequently adopted her.

Following high school, Estella worked several jobs and volunteered for Big Sisters. It was the association with Big Sisters that brought her into contact with her newly elected Congressman, Dan Qualye, who invited Estella to join him in Washington in January 1977. She returned to Fort Wayne briefly after two years with Mr. Qualye before returning again to Washington, working for Indiana Congressman Bud Hillis. Thereafter, she left for the private sector where, while working for the American Insurance Association she met her future husband. They married in 1997 and were married for 29 years, living for most of that time in Alexandria, Virginia before moving to Texas in 2020.

Estella served in numerous capacities in her latter career, including the American Association of Emergency Physicians, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and Prosphere, a government contractor serving veterans.

Estella has five Laguna half-siblings who survive her: Mark Andonegui, Moses Andonegui, and Sandra Stansfield, all of Defiance Ohio; Manuel Andonegui of Columbia, Tennessee, and Alice Gomez of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She also is survived by adoptive sisters Louise Smith and Josephine Mata of Fort Wayne, and Jane Graef of Castle Rock, Colorado; and brothers Ruben Laguna of Defiance, Ohio, and Joe Laguna of Redondo Beach, California.

She is survived on the Lopez side by four surviving half-siblings: Margie Citron, Rose Corujo, Gloria Lopez, and Vincent Lopez, all of Waco, Texas. She also has surviving an aunt, Connie Carrizales, and an uncle, Robert Lopez, both of Waco.

Throughout her adult life, Estella’s strong Christian faith sustained her, believing as Christians do, in the resurrection and promise of eternal life. She would say: “I know, I know, I know, whatever happens, I will be fine.”

Visitation will be held at Porter Loring Mortuary, 1101 McCullough Ave, San Antonio, Texas, on September 20, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will be held at First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough Ave, San Antonio, Texas, on September 21, 2026, at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests contributions to either the First Baptist Church of San Antonio or the Billy Graham Foundation.