Mary Estelle Brashier

 Mary Estelle Shows Brashier, (Estelle) passed away Monday, December 2, 2024, at Brookdale Senior Care in Clinton, MS. She was born April 28, 1935, to Estus H. and Mattie Bell Shows in Soso, MS. Estelle spent her childhood and formative years in the Soso and Big Creek areas of Jones County. She was baptized in Big Creek and a member of Big Creek Baptist Church. She graduated from Soso High School in 1952 where she excelled academically and was very active in other school functions as well. One of the highlights of her time at Soso was playing basketball for the girls' championship team where she was known as a “Pee Wee” forward, standing tall at 4’11”! After graduation she moved to New Orleans where she enrolled in nursing school at Charity Hospital. Upon completion of her RN degree, she moved back to Mississippi. She was working in a local hospital in Laurel when by chance she went on a blind date, which was set up by one of her nursing friends. That blind date proved to be a life-changing event. It was on that date where she met Bobby Joe Brashier (Bob). Six weeks later on September 10, 1955, they married and were married for 54 years until he passed away in July 2019. In November of 1957 Bob and Estelle welcomed their first child, Bobby Joe Brashier Jr. (Joey), into the world. When Joey was born, he was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus. This diagnosis was not very positive. The doctors said even with surgery he might not live past 6 years of age. There were only 2 choices. Institution or surgery. Bob and Estelle would not institutionalize him, so Joey began his journey over the next 60 years with 25 brain surgeries plus a few other surgeries. He was the first baby to have successful brain surgery at UMMC in ‘57 and Estelle took care of him as only a loving Mother could. In the summer of 1959 Bob and Estelle experienced the birth of their second child, Christopher Hilton Brashier. Unfortunately, Christopher was born with serious medical issues and lived only a couple of days. The next four years and the rest of Joey’s life Estelle devoted herself, 24-7-365, to caring for and nurturing Joey. Her medical training and as a nurse proved to be very instrumental to his survival. November of 1963 saw Estelle and Bob adopt a little 3-month-old baby boy they named John David Brashier. She was seldom seen without Joey and John in tow. Whether Bob and Estelle were living in Baton Rouge, Jackson, New York City, Yazoo City she was always at the forefront caring for the boys, Bob and being a homemaker. And she could cook, oh how she could create a delicious meal! As the boys grew older, she returned to her nursing practice and cared for her patients in much the same way as she cared for her family. 

In these later years and days her health began to deteriorate. Multiple strokes, kidney issues and most recently dementia and Alzheimer’s wreaked havoc upon her body. The losses of her husband and a special needs son weighed heavy on her heart. She was loving, strong, tough, and could be a little mean at times but lived and loved just as fiercely. Dynamite comes in small packages! Her family and friends will miss her! Estelle is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, A.J. Shows Sr., her husband Bob, her sons, Joey and Christopher. She is survived by her son, John (Lianne), grandchildren, Courtney Brashier McCrory (Jacob), Grant Brashier (Katiee) and Elliot Brashier; great-grandchildren, Hudson, Houston, Karter, Benzley, and Blakely; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Visitation will be Friday, December 2, 2024, from 10am-12 noon at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon. The graveside service will follow at 2:30 pm at Big Creek Cemetary, Big Creek Baptist Church, Big Creek, MS. “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30