Jacqueline Suzanne Azzara

It is with both sadness and joy that Jacqueline “Jackie” Suzanne Azzara has peacefully passed away in her home in Menifee, California, on June 8, 2022 of Vascular Dementia. She was 82 years old and lived an amazingly full and extraordinary life. Her parents Deloss Edward and Elizabeth Helen Felton welcomed her into the world on April 15 ^th 1940 in Rockford, Illinois (Forest City). Her parents had divorced in 1946 so Jackie spent her childhood in Rockford and was raised by her grandmother Gertrude Ethel Frost, to whom she was very close. Growing up her cousins Bob Frost and Tom Owenson were some of her childhood friends and playmates. She attended grade school and junior high school at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and School in Rockford.

In 1954 Jackie married her childhood friend and love Robert “Bob” Gendle Sr. They later had their first child Robert Gendle, Jr. and resided in Rockford until they moved to California in 1956. After a short time in California they moved back to Rockford, due to Bob’s job with Coca Cola.  They then had their second child, Susan Gendle who sadly passed in infancy. They later returned to California and soon their third child, Timothy Gendle was born. Robert and Jackie remained in California, living in Paramount, La Mirada and then Bellflower. They had three more children, Mark Gendle, Patricia Gendle (Scott), and Teresa Gendle (Schmidt).

Jackie attended Norwalk Adult Education to earn her GED. In 1966 Robert and Jackie divorced. Jackie spent the next 5 years as a single parent, raising and providing for her children. She had close family and good friends who helped her along the way, her sister Gloria Cox, the Gwinnup Family (best friends Maxine and Bob), Damian “Bud” Dill and many others. She worked at a donut shop and started her college education/nursing at Cerritos College. She earned her RN (Registered Nurse) Certification in June 1971. She supported and raised 5 kids and still managed to get a college education. As an RN her first job was at Norwalk Metropolitan Hospital, then Pioneer Hospital in Cerritos, and then Kaiser Hospital in Bellflower. Nursing was her passion. She was a nurse for over 40 years. She always had great compassion for those suffering and injured, both physically and emotionally. She was also deeply religious, a Catholic, and often prayed for her patients healing and recovery.

In 1946, Jackie’s father, Deloss “Bud” Felton,  married Doris Whipple. They had two girls Gloria Felton (Cox) and Beverly Felton (Erdei). Jackie was now a big sister and had a wonderful new step-mother Doris.

After years of being a single parent, in 1971 Jackie married Damian “Bud” Dill. She had known Bud already for many years and he had already been a good friend to her. This was a very happy time for Jackie. Bud was a good husband and dad and they were very happy. After only 17 months of marriage Bud passed away of a brain aneurysm in 1972. It was a tragic and incredibly sad time for Jackie and the family. Jackie with her faith, love and support of family and friends was able to move forward once more. Jackie was a single parent once again, but also a grieving widow. Nevertheless, she made sure her children were provided for by working two jobs and working overtime. She tried to make life “normal” for her children ensuring they didn’t miss school activities, doing homework, going to dances, driving, getting jobs, getting decent grades and graduating. She made sure she raised her children in the Catholic faith after all, it was her Catholic faith that got her through the worst of times but also some of the best times in her life.

In 1976 things turned around again for Jackie. She fell in love and married her current husband of 47 years and love of her life, Matthew Azzara. Jackie had known Matt for some years through her former husband Bud. After Bud’s passing Matt would visit to make sure Jackie was holding up and he was very supportive. Jackie and Matt then had a son, Giovanni (John) Matthew Azzara. He was a gift and light in their lives. In 1977, they moved to Rossmoor, California. They resided in Rossmoor for 45 years. In 2020 due to health reasons, and to be closer to John and his wife Eileen, they sold their home in Rossmoor and moved to Menifee, California.

After most of Jackie’s older children had grown and moved out, married and started having families of their own, and John was in college, Jackie found more time to fulfill her interests. She began volunteering at her local parish St Hedwig Catholic Church. She worked in the gift shop on Sundays, attended regular bible study, was involved in the Bereavement Ministry, RCIA, Eucharistic Ministry, Ministry to the Sick, and the annual Autumn festival. She also volunteered at the local Los Alamitos Hospital for 7 years. She was also very generous and donated financial gifts to her many charities. Both Jackie and Matt volunteered a lot of their time and resources to their local/home parish. They loved their parish and the community.

Jackie loved reading.  She enjoyed biographies; the Kennedy’s, Queen Elizabeth, Presidents, and celebrities. She enjoyed mysteries, Stephen King novels, and books about criminals such as Al Capone and John Gotti. She also loved going to the movies. From the time she was a very young child, movies were her escape. She enjoyed piano, crochet, genealogy, scrapbooking, photo art, and paper doll making. She loved to learn and when she retired from nursing she went back to school just to learn fun things like computer repair, tai chi, Indian flute, to name a few. She loved the TV news, 20/20, and 60 Minutes. She enjoyed politics and listened to KFI radio, her favorite. She and Matt traveled quite a bit, traveling to Europe, Alaska, and many of the states to visit historical monuments across the country and Washington DC. Jackie loved music. A couple of her favorites were Tom Jones and Elvis Presley, both of which she saw in person in concert.

Jackie was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and always put her family first. She made birthdays and holidays magical and special for all. Birthdays and Christmas were her favorite times to celebrate. She never forgot a birthday, Valentines Day, Easter, 4 ^th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. She made big meal and always had enough for extra guests. She would always give Easter baskets to the kids and adults and have chili nights during Halloween. Christmases were always filled with more gifts than the tree could hold.

You are forever in our hearts Jacqueline Suzanne Felton-Azzara. We love you, we will miss you, and may you rest in peace with your heavenly Father, Jesus his Son and the Blessed Mother.

Jackie is survived by :

Husband Matthew P. Azzara.

Children : Robert Gendle (Diane), Timothy Gendle (Belinda), Mark Gendle (Nancy), Patricia Gendle Scott (Glenn), Teresa Gendle Schmidt, John Azzara (Eileen).

Grandchildren : Alysha Gendle, Glenn Scott, Carrie Gendle Evon (Nicholas), Kyle Gendle (Stacey), Nathan Gendle (Reina), Rachel Gendle (Brad), Amy Gendle Wilde (Rich), Aaron Gendle (Natalie), and Adam Gendle.

Great-grandchildren : Graham Gendle, Remy Gendle, Rocco Gendle, Mary Katherine Wilde, Van Wilde, Violet Gendle, Oliver Gendle, Elliott Gendle, and Grace Gendle.

Sisters : Gloria Cox and Beverly Erdei (Ron)

Jackie is predeceased by her daughter Susan Gendle, granddaughter Melissa C. Schmidt, her parents DeLoss Edward Felton and Elizabeth Helen Felton, stepmother Doris Felton, and her dear grandmother Gertrude Ethel Frost.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401