Carolyn Fellabaum

Carolyn Jane Fellabaum 6/12/1941 - 12/31/2022 The 1958 Butler High School Homecoming Queen retired her crown and sailed off to the Great Lake in the sky. Carolyn Jane Taylor, was born in 1941 to Bruce (Father) and Irene (Mother) Taylor. She was raised by Cliff (Grandpa) and Josephine (Mom) Myers on “the Farm” in Vandalia, OH. Jane had a brother, Jim Taylor (Jean); stepbrother, Ray Muselman and half-brother, Jerry Davis (Jenny). She was preceded in death by her “Father”, “Mother”, “Grandpa”, “Mom”, and brother Jim. Jane had a spirited soul and lived life to the fullest. She attended the University of Dayton where she donned a short skirt, majorette boots, stewardess hat with a prominent “D” on the front, and long sleeve shirt to entertain at basketball games and parades as part of the Flyerettes. Fittingly, she married her high school sweetheart, World Champion Twirler and Michigan State University Drum Major, Mike Fellabaum, in 1963. They made the Flint, MI area home, residing and raising a family in Swartz Creek for over forty years before retirement. As true snowbirds, Jane and Mike continued their shenanigans in Gulf Shores, AL, finding a home/condo in the Sailboat Bay Community. They continued traveling from sea to shining sea, national park to national park, football stadium to football stadium while they truly embraced life. Always up for an adventure, as long as it took place after “the crack of noon”. Jane was an avid member of the self-proclaimed Gulf Shores Desperate Housewives, or “Desperates”, as they call themselves, which was also associated with the self-proclaimed Gulf Shores Mafia. She maintained her competitiveness by gathering with friends monthly for a mean game of Bunco. They also frequently attended the highly popular Women’s Health Luncheons. Never one for a dull moment, Jane could liven up a day by lighting her menu on fire at a restaurant, thwarting a car theft (of her car) with casual conversation, or by proclaiming the boat was sinking when it merely had a wave break over the bow. A true connoisseur of fine, cheap whiskey, she enjoyed her Black Velvet and Coke Zero whenever possible. She also loved Necco Wafers, Tootsie Rolls, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls, Orville Redenbacher Tender White popcorn and wearing colorful shirts usually embellished with a tropical motif or appropriate holiday attire. Mike and Jane have 3 children, Michael Bruce Fellabaum (Suzan); Lori Kay Hogle (Grant); James Ryan Fellabaum (Alice). The family spent many summers on their 36’ Catalina sailboat, Spartini, along with friends from the Huron Yacht Club in Caseville, MI. She took great pleasure in subjecting her children to hours of Roger Whittaker ballads while playing cards and board games for hours on end once they left the dock sailing towards the Canadian North Channel. Far from any chance of seeking refuge on shore, she would tease their hunger with delicious home cooked meals as their nostrils were permeated with the aroma of pot roast cooking in the propane oven. The only thing greater than Jane’s obsession with cookbooks was anything sewing related. She wasn’t known for missing many fabric stores or quilt shops in her travels, but she was very well known for her culinary expertise in creating THE BEST crabcakes south of Maryland. She would carefully and painstakingly shell the fresh crab caught off the dock in front of the “Encondo”, as her great grandson refers to her home, and prepare the delicacies to the delight of her guests. Crab cakes, crab quesadillas, crab omelets and crab pizza were on the menu. After countless hours at gymnastic meets when her kids were young, Jane took the opportunity to become an entrepreneur. Starting with a small table at the gym, she then expanded into one of Michigan’s largest dancewear stores, Debonaire Dancewear. For years thereafter, she fit thousands of students for the perfect shoe and uniform. True to her nature, she even tolerated a streaker who once used the dressing room as his launch site. Jane was then promoted to number one cheerleader by her 9 grandchildren, Brooke Baker, Jordyn Fellabaum, Natalie Kinsey (Luke), Gabbie Hogle, Zach Hogle, Ashley Fellabaum, Naomi Fellabaum, Grayson Fellabaum, Kaitlyn Fellabaum and one great grandson, Lukis Fellabaum who all called her Nana. They sometimes jokingly referred to her as Nancompoop. She traveled the country to watch the grandkids play volleyball, football, baseball, cheer, and wrestle. The evenings were known to have been spent bonding and having late night conversations. Her legacy will live on through her children, grandchildren, and countless memories. Funny stories, sewing, craft projects and the infinite number of cookbooks and handwritten recipes. Jane was adored and will be terribly missed by all who knew her (and by all who ate her crabcakes). A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 27th, 2023, 1-3 PM at Oyster Bay Baptist Church located at 4280 Plash Rd., Gulf Shores, AL In lieu of flowers or gifts, funds are being collected for a memorial in Jane’s honor and can be sent to the family at 4170 Spinnaker Drive, Unit 1225-I, Gulf Shores, AL 36542 or venmo @Ryan-Fellabaum (last 4 digits of phone # 1351) For more details, please visit: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/janefellabaumcelebrationoflife

Carolyn Fellabaum

December 31, 2022

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Carolyn Fellabaum

December 31, 2022

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

Obituary Notification