Estelle Sawyer

Estelle Sawyer went home to be with the Lord on April 17, 2013. She was born August 9, 1939 in Corpus Christi, Texas and lived here her entire life. The oldest of five children, Estelle worked from the age of 15 to the age of 71 when she retired from her last position with CCISD. She was the most exemplary, organized and professional of secretaries and took great pride in her work. As a teenager, she was first runner-up in the state typing competition. She played the piano and the guitar and loved music and dancing. She was a member of the board of directors of the Boys Club of Corpus Christi for many years. Estelle lived a full and beautiful life making friends with everyone she met and keeping up with all of them by phone, Email and texting when she could not see them in person. She is and will be most deeply missed by all her family and friends. It is a sad day for us but she will bring a new light to Heaven. She was preceded in death by her father, Reyes P. Perez and a grandson, Dalton Gray Ilseng. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Gerald “Jerry” Sawyer of Corpus Christi, Texas; her son, Gerald Gray Sawyer, Jr. of Dallas, Texas; her daughter, Rhonda Sawyer Ilseng (Jeff) of Corpus Christi, Texas; her grandchildren, Ashley, Amber and Grayson Ilseng; her mother, Eustolia Perez of Corpus Christi, Texas; her sisters, Mary Louise Russell (Durrell) of Grandville, Michigan, Gloria Schulz (Russ) of Blue Springs, Missouri and Rose Marie Ward (Bill) of Austin, Texas; her brother, R. P. Perez, Jr. (Yolanda) of Corpus Christi, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 2 P.M. until 7 P.M. with the family present from 5 P.M. until 7 P.M. Sunday, April 21, 2013 at Sawyer-George Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held at Noon, Monday, April 22, 2013 at Bay Area Fellowship, 7451 Bay Area Drive with Pastor Bil Cornelius officiating. Graveside services will be conducted at 2 P.M. Monday, April 22, 2013 at the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to make contributions in her memory to Bay Area Fellowship Westside Campus, 7451 Bay Area Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78415.