Estelle McMurray Yowell, 97, died Saturday March 8, 2014 at the Cedars where she had resided for the past seven years. She was the daughter of the late Napoleon and Delia (Boiselle) Tetreault.
Born in Central Falls, RI, she was educated at St. Anne's Academy in Marlboro and graduated from Notre Dame High School in Central Falls. In 1930 she moved with her parents to Rehoboth. She married Howard J. "Mac" McMurray, an American Airlines pilot, in June 1940 and they made their home in Rehoboth. She and Mac ran a successful shoe parts business in Rehoboth, before moving to North Carolina in the 1960s.
While living in North Carolina she became an accomplished artist. Her artistic ability and expertise with watercolors included many blue ribbon awards for her sunsets, beach scenes, and waterfalls.
After Mac's death in 1970, she married Edwin J. Yowell, Sr. in 1978 and they settled in Asheboro, NC. After his passing in May 2007, Estelle returned to her New England roots.
She leaves behind her niece, Jeanne Twomey and husband Fred of Sagamore Beach; her great-nephew, Rick Twomey and wife Rosemarie of Dartmouth; her Godchild, Lorraine LaChapelle of Taunton; her nephew, Louie LaChapelle and wife Pat of Daytona Beach, FL; her stepchildren, Edwin Yowell Jr. of Texas and Susanya Schuett of North Carolina; as well as other loving nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was predeceased by her siblings, Rodolph and Renaldo Tetreault, Rita Demers, Jeannette Desaulniers, Yvonne Demers, and Marguerite LaChapelle.
The family would like to thank the personnel at the Cedars for the loving care extended to Estelle.
Her Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 AM at Our Lady of Purgatory Church, New Bedford. After Mass, she will be laid to rest with her husband Mac in Oak Grove Cemetery, Fall River. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.