Obituary of Fedora M. Michaels

Halfmoon - Fedora Michaels passed from this life into heaven on November 8, 2016 at 91 years of age. She was surrounded by those who love her and now she is in the presence of God. Fedora was born in Florence, Italy April 17, 1925. After grade school, she became an apprentice to a dressmaker learning skills that would serve her later in life. During WWII, Fedora applied her beautiful handwriting to the task of providing ration cards to the Italian people. She also survived many dangers living through Mussolini's Italy and the Nazi Occupation. She met and fell in love with an American soldier, John "Jack" Michaels, a member of the US Army 894th Tank Battalion who was stationed in Florence. They married in 1945 and he returned to the states with his unit shortly after the wedding . Fedora, a war bride bravely followed her husband to America in April 1946, and soon became a citizen. Her favorite memory of the time was seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time when she knew she was truly free. She was employed at Troy shirt factory and Cohoes hospital and she was an excellent homemaker. She raised three children, John Michaels ( wife Chrissy) , Rita Swartz (husband Bill) and Maria Pflegl (husband Cole) She loved spending time with her grand children, john Carl Swartz, John Michaels Jr. Holly Grubbs, Bianca Hughes and Jonathan Pflegl and enjoyed her great grand children Logan Swartz, John Michaels III, Alayna Hughes, Jordan Michaels, Dexter Grubbs and Scarlet Grubbs Fedora was very active in her church and community. She served as a president of the American Legion Auxiliary, and was a member the Halfmoon Firehouse and Veterans of Foreign wars Auxilliary. She also served as the local toastmistress for various events and sang in minstrel shows. She lived and breathed the service of the Lord through her life, called upon in Matthew 25:40 "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" She was instrumental in starting the Halfmoon Seniors Citizen Association, Inc. where she served as President for five years. She spent her life volunteering and giving to others, helping at our Lady of Hope residence for more than 25 years, delivering meals on wheels, visiting shut ins and more. She volunteered for prison ministry and became a faith formation teacher at St. Mary's church as well as hosted a bible study in her home. She also supported countless ministries to children, native Americans, food for the poor, police ambulance, and other benevolent organizations. Fedora was known for her humor and her lively spirit. She will be greatly missed by her friends and family. Those wishing to remember Fedora in a special way, can make memorial contributions in her name to the Halfmoon Senior Association, P.O. Box 4203 Halfmoon, NY 12065. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Fedora on Saturday November 12th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Crescent Church, 86 Church Hill Rd. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in Waterford. Friends and relatives are invited to call at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home, 1550 Route 9 Clifton Park, on Friday from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.