Obituary of Dean Monte Estabrook

Dean Monte Estabrook passed away on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at the age of 85. He’d lived at Summerfield Memory Care in Yuba City for the last six months of a 5 year battle with Parkinson's and Dementia. He was born in San Jose, CA. Upon Dean’s high school graduation, the family moved to Arizona where Dean became a music major at U of A, Tucson. He earned a Bachelor of Music and decided to continue his schooling. Dean feared he was close to being drafted into the Vietnam war, so he fulfilled his military obligation by joining an Army Reserve unit for six years while working to obtain his Master's Degree. In three years he had his Masters in Music Theory and Composition from San Jose State University and, in 1969, an honorable discharge from the Army. In 1966 he’d gotten a tip that the Yuba City Schools were unifying and would need a large number of new teachers. He came up, interviewed, and began to make his mark teaching choir, band, and music theory over his 30year career. He made many friends within the cadre of new teachers YCUSD hired. In 1973 he married Cristina "Cris" Cadena. Tragically, Cris passed away in the Yuba City choir bus accident 1976. Dean was devastated by the loss of not only 26 students but also his wife. Though tempted, friends counseled him not to move away but to stay in Yuba City, in the loving embrace of the town that shared his loss and grief. In 1979 he married Christina "Christy" Young. They had a daughter, Adrian, in 1983. Prior to the bus accident the Young family had introduced Dean and Cris to sailing on Folsom Lake. He loved it so much that Dean bought his own 22' sailboat, naming it after the character Cris had danced in the Nutcracker Ballet. Via a national boating organization, USPS, Dean met several gentlemen who shared his love of sailing. They sailed various sailboats out the Golden Gate, up and down the CA coastline and even up in the Puget Sound area. This group of guys was known as the “Dirty Half Dozen”, with the Cookie Monster as their official mascot. Dean got several original pieces and arrangements of music professionally published. Some have been performed by local groups like the Veridian Symphony, the YS Master Chorale, and the St Andrew Bell Choir. Two were played and nationally televised by the Salt Lake City LDS Temple Handbell Choir, a lifetime highlight! Dean adjudicated at choral festivals in Northern CA for many years, trying to help students realize the wonder, joy, and artistry of making music with others. Dean was honored by the CA Choral Director's Association with the Northern CA Director of the Year Award; he wrote articles for the State Choral Director's Journal; and he received the Jane Sarah Roberts Friend of Music Award in 2021 for his contributions to the local educational music scene. Dean is predeceased by his father, Monte G. Estabrook and his mother, Evelyn T. Estabrook; his wife, Cristina E. Estabrook; and all of his aunts and uncles plus several cousins on both sides of the family, including the recent passing of his beloved cousin Lynn Betzina. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Christina C. Estabrook; their daughter, Adrian Lynn Mora; grandchildren, Hamilton D. and Thea N. Mora; and by several Estabrook and Tanner cousins. The family would especially like to send heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Summerfield who took loving care of Dean during his relatively short stay there. The end came fast but you were there for him! Many thanks also to the invaluable care he received from Sutter Hospice.   A Celebration of Life (and mini concert) will be held starting at 1 p.m. at St Andrew Presbyterian Church, Yuba City, on Sunday, January 4, 2026. A reception and sharing of the microphone will follow in the Ministry Center. If desired, donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the Alzheimer’s Foundation, Sutter Hospice, The YS Master Chorale or the St Andrew Music Fund.