Ms. Mary Frances Estes, age 93 of Centre, passed away Monday, April 21, 2025, at Cherokee County Health & Rehab.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 3:00PM in the chapel of Perry Funeral Home with Bro. Don Barnett officiating. The family will receive friends from 2:00PM until the time of service at 3:00PM on Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be private.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John Thomas Estes and Naomi Ophelia Carter Estes; sister, Mildred Estes; brothers, John, Raymond, Malvin and Vernon Estes.
She is survived by her friend of 50 years, Brenda Armbrecht; nephews, Don (Gail) Estes, Keith (Margaret) Estes, Tom (Millie) Estes and Cary (Laura) Estes; nieces, Linda (Ben) Albrecht and Karen Lowery.
Born and raised in Chambers County, Alabama, Ms. Estes graduated from LaFayette High School and proceeded to attend and graduate with a B.S. degree in Physical Education in 1952 from Alabama College (which is now the University of Montevallo). She earned a M.S. degree in Physical Education in 1957 from the University of Tennessee. In 1971, Ms. Estes graduated with a Ph. D. in Counselor Education from Florida State University, with enrichment areas in Sociology and Educational Research. Mary also taught in high schools and colleges all across Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana; and was college administrator in Waycross and Morrow, Georgia.
After graduating in 1971, she became the Director of Special Studies Program at Clayton Junior College. Not long after becoming Director, she became Chairperson of the Division of Social Sciences and Associate Professor of Sociology at Clayton Junior College in Morrow, GA. After leaving Clayton Junior College in 1975, she became the first Academic Dean of Waycross Junior College in Waycross, GA. Finally she returned to Clayton State University (formerly Clayton Junior College) in 1987, working as the Dean of Arts and Sciences until her retirement in June of 1993.
Ms. Estes also had a love for gardening, fishing, bird-watching, reading and genealogical research. She was a longtime member of Centre First United Methodist Church and was the coordinator of “Read to Succeed”, a community-wide adult literacy program sponsored by the church.
In lieu of flowers, per Ms. Estes’ wishes, donations may be made to the Naomi Carter Estes Scholarship at: James M. Dye Foundation, South Georgia College – 2001 South Georgia Parkway; Waycross, Ga 31503 OR the Mildred Ophelia Estes Scholarship at University of Montevallo, Station 6215, Reynolds Hall, Montevallo, AL 35115
Perry Funeral Home in charge of arrangements
