Estella Mims Pyfrom

12/07/1936 - 12/30/2021

Obituary For Estella Mims Pyfrom

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS:

VIEWING: Friday, January 7, 2022 5pm-7pm New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 1101 West Ave A, Belle Glade, FL 33430

SERVICE: Saturday, January 8, 2022 10am Jeaga Middle School 3777 Jog Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33411

INTERMENT: Thursday, January 13, 2022 10:00 a.m. South Florida National Cemetery 6501 South State Road 7, Lake Worth, FL 33449

Estella Rugena Mims Pyfrom (Stell) of West Palm Beach, Florida, passed away at 85 years of age on December 29, 2021. She was born on December 7, 1936, to Roy Lee Mims and Leola Gilchrest Mims in the rural Wetumpka District of Gadsden County, Florida, near Quincy. A precocious and curious little girl, she explored the backwoods, streams, and bogs of her tiny rural community with almost reckless abandon. She loved to climb trees, crawl around under the house, and tinker with things as a young girl. Though she couldn’t swim, that didn’t stop her from jumping on floating logs to chase frogs, squirrels, or any other animal she might have been able to get her hands on. Her mother and father moved to South Florida with their five girls when Stell was nine years old. Belle Glade, Florida, was considered their Winter-vegetable capital of the world. The family was poor, but the work was plentiful. All of the girls worked in the agricultural fields to support the family. Stell excelled at picking beans, often keeping pace with adults, many of whom were twice her age. She also excelled in school. From age nine until after graduating from high school, the family traveled north as migrant workers to upstate New York to harvest crops. Stell attended and graduated from Everglades Vocational High School (EVH) in Belle Glade. While attending EVH, Stell met Willie (Bill) Robert Pyfrom – the love of her life. Upon graduating from FAMU, Stell began her professional career as a home economics teacher at the E. O. Douglas High School in Sebring, Florida. The first-year teaching job in Sebring marked the beginning of a 40-plus year career educator with the Palm Beach County School District. She taught, served as a guidance counselor or school administrator at Everglades Camp School, Glades View Elementary School, Pahokee High School, Lake Shore Middle School, Glades Central High School, Palm Beach County West Technical Institute, Rosenwald Elementary School, Royal Palm Beach High School, and the Palm Beach County School District central office. When not working with children in the classroom during the 1960s and 70s, Stell spent much of her time working as a seamstress and clothing designer. She worked out of her home designing and making clothing for women throughout the Palm Beach County western communities. Stell also taught night school and served on the Palm Beach County Community Mental Health Board. Additionally, she was a founding member and served one term as president of the Elite Community Club. The Elite Community Club was a women’s organization that conducted mentoring activities for high school seniors and sponsored an annual Debutant’s Ball in the African-American Community. She also found time to obtain master’s degrees in elementary education and school administration and supervision. Stell retired from the Palm Beach County School District in 2004 and embarked upon her latest adventure as the founder of Estella’s Brilliant Bus. The Brilliant Bus was a platform designed to bring the benefits of technology and education to underserved and underprivileged youth. Pres. Barack Obama recognized her at a White Ceremony (The Points of Light Foundation) for her work with the Estella’s Brilliant Bus. Oprah Winfrey recognized her, Stell appeared on the Dr. Oz Show, and CNN selected her as a top 10 finalist for the Worldwide Heroes award in 2013. The partnership between Estella’s Brilliant Bus and the Microsoft Corporation was the subject of a commercial that aired during the 3rd quarter of the 2015 Super Bowl. The Brilliant Bus project received recognition from organizations around the world. She was “an international celebrity.” Her relationship and marriage to Bill Pyfrom, her high school sweetheart, was the driving force in her life for nearly 70 years. Bill and Stell were married in 1958. The marriage produced four children; Gene Allen Pyfrom (wife- Vicky), Juan Andre Pyfrom (wife—Yuna Pyfrom), Karen LaShawn Pyfrom Abrams (husband Timothy Abrams), and Mia LeQuandra Pyfrom. Her children and grandchildren were her crowning achievement. She was preceded and death by her parents, Roy Lee Mims and Leola Gilchrest Mims, and her older sister Luevonue Mims Lincoln. She is survived by her sisters, Sally Mims Kearse Brown, Florence Jackson, Harma Lee Miller, and Tequesta Cox. Her grandchildren are; Gena Pyfrom Foster (Teldrin Foster), Breanna Villereal (Beau Villereal), Kalila Pyfrom, Timothy Jerome Abrams, Jr (T.J.), Quentin Pyfrom, Nyla Abrams, Robert Andre Finney (Dre), Robert Pyfrom, Olivia Pyfrom, Daniel Morris, Michael Morris, William Pyfrom (Willie) and Autumn Love (April). Her great-grandchildren are Malachi Villareal, Aiden Foster, and Ivan Villareal Estella Pyfrom was a force of nature, and the world is a lesser place without her.

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