Irmgard Anna Fella's Obituary
Irma Fella was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1945. When Irma was born, the life expectancy of babies with Down Syndrome was about 13. Irma celebrated every birthday with delight, happy to prove the doctors wrong in a life of good health and joy until the age of 74 when she passed away in San Diego, CA. Her life embodied the traits printed on her countless Special Olympic medals: Skill, Courage, Sharing, Joy.
Because public education was not available to children with disabilities, Irma’s loving mother, Anna Fella helped form a community of mothers with disabled children. These mothers fought for space at a local Parks and Rec center, hired a teacher, and volunteered daily at the program. Irma and the other children learned life skills by doing crafts, sharing, playing games, singing, dancing, and visiting many attractions in Detroit. This union of mothers and other parent advocate groups were an influential force in the establishment of the Detroit Association for Retarded Children in the 1950s..
From the ages of 16 – 26, Irma attended Our Lady of Providence in Northville, Michigan, a private residential Catholic school for disabled girls. She loved the dedicated nuns who taught her many skills such as knitting and embroidery. Irma later flawlessly embroidered countless tablecloths for various charity raffles. She was most proud of playing drums in the band at the school.
After leaving Our Lady of Providence, she lived with her mother in Fraser, Michigan and attended a sheltered workshop. They had a very active social life with Anna and Irma’s large circle of life-long friends and family in Michigan. Irma became a champion bowler and regularly won 1st place at bowling tournaments. She attended monthly dances, but would only dance the polka.
When her mother passed in 1992, Irma moved to San Diego, California with her sister. At the age of 47, she thrived with her new sense of independence, moving into a group home, attending a sheltered workshop and forming many new friendships, especially her best friend, Linda. But she remained the bond that kept her family closer than ever would have been possible without her.
Irma’s big loves in life were her bus to work, her boss, bowling, embroidery, hamburgers, watching wrestling, word search puzzles, her sketchbooks, backpacks, and bags of any shape or size!
Irma’s loving nature and her wonderful sense of humor will be deeply missed by her family. She was always ready for a joke and a big laugh. April Fools Day was her favorite day when she would tell people there was a bee on their head. She gave everyone in the family a nickname, many of which were taken on and used by the whole family. Ecky-Becky, Hanky-Panky, Chuckie, Archie-Barchie, Sticky, L’il Head and Nice Guy are really going to miss you, Inka!
Irma is survived by her brothers and sisters-in-law: Ed and Lucy, Henry and Sara, John and Crecencia; sister and brother-in-law, Evelyn and Louis; nieces Annamarie, Andrea, Emily; nephews Peter and Edward, and many cousins, especially Betty Wheelock who was Irma’s soul mate in love and laughter.
She will also be sorely missed by her special guardian angel who helped watch over her in the last 7 years, Paula Anderson, her “boy friend” care giver, Ivan, and care giver, Maria. Thank you for your help in keeping her smiling in her final years.
Irma will be laid to rest with her father in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan.
In lieu of flowers, share a memory or a laugh with someone.
Donations: The Fowler Center, Maryville, MI 48744 (thefowlercenter.org/donate)
Detroit ARC or Charity of your choice
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