Estelle Dina Shuster Marlor

Died on June 17th at the age of 86. She was born in September, 1933 to Isidore Shuster and Edith Chapman Shuster of New Bedford, MA. On return visits to New Bedford, Estelle would fondly recall her days working in her parents’ deli, swimming at the beach, and visiting Buttonwood Park and Zoo. After graduation from New Bedford High School, Estelle went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. At a time when women were discouraged from pursuing advanced degrees, she chose to attend graduate school in zoology and comparative anatomy at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She was the only woman graduate student in her department. Her master’s degree thesis was on “The Bats of Utah”. While taking a class in human anatomy, her assigned dissection partner was a handsome medical student named Russell Larry Marlor. Despite the decidedly non-romantic setting of working on a shared corpse (whom they named Blanche), Estelle and Russell fell in love and were married on September 15, 1959.

After Russell’s graduation and US Navy commission, they shipped out together for adventures that took them all around the world. With their two daughters, Felice and Robin, they enjoyed postings in San Diego, Vallejo, and Lafayette, CA; Naples, Italy; Honolulu, HI; Groton, CT; and Washington, D.C. Russell’s long Navy career ended with his retirement as Rear Admiral in 1991. During it all, Estelle centered the family and made each place feel like home, all while fulfilling the many other duties expected of a Navy wife. She also worked as a volunteer for community organizations, including local schools, the Red Cross, the Navy Relief Society, and voter registration.

In each new location, her outgoing personality produced friendships that lasted the rest of her life. Her New Bedford friends and family knew her as Dina (her middle name), in Utah she was Stella, and to most others she was Estelle. By any name, one of her greatest joys was cooking a fantastic feast and hosting a dinner party for her friends and family. Shared work, shared values, and shared interests could all be the starting point for friendships and an excuse for a delicious meal. She had a particular affinity for the language and cuisines of Italy, and this was the backdrop for many of her enduring friendships.

As they traveled the world, Estelle and her family delighted in the local culture, arts, and food. Her passport includes visa stamps from Egypt, Japan, and China. Her love of travel continued well into retirement, even after the passing of Russell in 2006. In her later years, she took her daughters, their husbands, and her three granddaughters Julia, Irene and Elsa on wonderful trips to New York, Naples, Paris, and London. During her last few years at Greenspring Retirement community, she found a set of like-minded friends that shared many theater productions and a memorable trip to Cuba.

Estelle is survived by her loving family. Her older daughter Felice Marlor with husband Krister Andersson and their daughters Irene and Elsa Andersson live in Stockholm, Sweden. Her younger daughter Robin Marlor Buratowski with her husband Stephen Buratowski and their daughter Julia Buratowski live near Boston MA. Her younger sister Rosalyn Kaplan lives in Delray Beach, FL. She also leaves many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Estelle’s memory may be made to The Greenspring Village Scholars’ Fund, addressed to the Philanthropy Department, 7430 Spring Village Drive, Springfield, VA 22150. One of Estelle’s favorite causes, the fund provides college scholarship support for the hardworking student aides at her retirement community.