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Sister Mary Estelle  was born to William and Mary Waclawczyk in Cestohowa, Texas.  She was educated in a little country school surrounded by farms in the early 40's.  The two classroom school had an unusual setup.  One classroom was the Catholic school of St. Peter's and consisted of grades 1-4;  the other classroom was the public school with grades 5-8.  

Sister Estelle grew up in a Family of six children;  she was the second youngest.  Her family was very religious and taught her a great love of the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Her father told her that at the age of three she was already talking about being a sister.  Her parents were very proud of this gift of a vocation  to religious life by their daughter.  She is grateful for the support of her family. Sister Mary Estelle was attracted to religious life by the  sisters who worked in the parish.  She loved the habit they wore, especially the crucifix and large wooden Rosary with the picture of Our Lady of Cestohowa in the medallion.

At the age of fourteen she left for Chicago, Illinois to attend a Felician High school.  After graduation she entered  the Felician Congregation and will celebrate sixty years of commitment the summer of 2007.  These sixty years saw her in the classroom, teaching God's little ones in Illinois, Nebraska, California and Texas.  Yes, she even went back to teach in public school in her hometown of Cestohowa.  However, it was no longer just a one room class.  It had grown into a larger school in which the sisters were allowed to teach.
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