Esta Smith Busi passed away peacefully on June 9, 2026 surrounded by her loving family in her Northampton home after vibrantly living with stage 4 pancreatic cancer for two years.

Born in Springfield October 25,1937, Esta moved to Northampton at age 11. She attended the Northampton School for Girls, then graduated from Smith College with a BA in Russian Literature and moved to New York City. There she married Meary James Thurairajah Tambinmuttu in 1960 where her eldest and only daughter Shakuntala Tambimuttu was born in 1962. In 1965, Esta moved back to Northampton and earned an MA in Education from UMASS Amherst. Esta then worked as a high school teacher in Milton, MA, marrying Professor Frederick Allen Busi in 1967. Together they took root in Northampton in 1968 and welcomed Andre-Issac Umberto Busi in 1969. After having Emile-Albert Abraham Busi in 1972, Esta obtained her realtor’s license and worked at a number of real estate companies for multiple decades. While doing this, Esta was active in the League of Women Voters and the Congregation B’nai Israel as President of the sisterhood, as well as President of the Board of Directors and President of Hadassah, while also cooking and serving the Senior lunches at CBI while she was able.

Esta loved to sing with her powerful voice and was a regular stage presence in the Valley Light Opera, Berkshire Choral Festival and in her own kitchen with friends and family.

She always enjoyed showing off her encyclopedic knowledge of all the hits of the 20th century. Throughout her life, Esta had several rescue dog companions, which kept her extremely physically active right up until the very end of her life, walking for hours in the “dog park” where she would add to the friends she would regularly host at her house.

She is predeceased by her parents Sarah and Louis Smith and brother Robert Smith.

She is survived by her brothers Perry and Brian Smith, her three children and six grandchildren.

The Ascher-Zimmerman Funeral Home is assisting the family.