Alma Marie Fedorsin, of Laguna Woods, passed away from natural causes April 17, 2014. Her husband was with her at the time of her death.
Alma was born in Ambridge, Penn., on Nov. 13, 1923. She was the youngest of 13 children born to Carmela and Joseph Caracci, who immigrated to the U.S. from Italy. Alma graduated from Ambridge High School in 1942. At the age of 20, she came to California with her sister, Lena Matzie and her family, as well as two sisters, Lil and Flossie, and a brother, Ralph.
Alma met her husband, Mike Fedorsin, in Los Angeles in 1950. The couple was married in 1951 and settled in Manhattan Beach. Fedorsin worked as a teller for Bank of America during the ‘50s. During this same time, her daughter and son were born. Once they were in school, Alma opted to be a stay at home mother. She and Mike would take in foster children until they were permanently placed with families.
In 1961, the couple moved to Orange County with their daughter and son, Deneece and John. Upon Mike’s retirement in the early ‘70s, the couple relocated to Scottsdale, Ariz., where they spent 16 years. Their next move took them to Las Vegas, Nev., where they spent another 16 years. In Nevada, they spent their time in their desert garden, visiting with friends, and making occasional trips to their favorite casinos. From Las Vegas, the couple made the full circle back to Laguna Woods, where they resided for the last five years.
Summer vacations and holidays brought Alma and her husband to Laguna Beach to visit family. She is survived by her husband, Michael of Laguna Woods; son and daughter in law John and Laurie Fedorsin of Bakersfield; daughter and grandson Deneece Gabbard and Walt Gabbard of Laguna Beach; sisters Lenore English of Scottsdale, Ariz.,; and Flossie Byars of Huntington Beach; and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.
A Catholic funeral mass will be held at St. Catherine’s of Siena in Laguna Beach, at 11 a.m. Friday, April 25. A burial service will be held immediately following at Ascension Cemetery in Lake Forest. Fairhaven Mortuary Mission Viejo is coordinating funeral arrangements. To continue Alma’s support for young mothers with children, the family requests donations be made to Casa Teresa, P.O. Box 429, Orange, Calif., 92866 or www.casateresa.com.
