Bella Schledwitz, a resident of Lowell for many years, died peacefully at the age of 101 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers on Friday, March 24, 2023. She was surrounded by her loving family.
She was born in Saco, Maine to recent immigrants from Portugal via Brazil. Born in 1921 to the late Mary(Perry) and John Amaral, she spent her childhood in Amesbury, MA. She married the late William Schledwitz of Colorado at the end of his submarine service in the Pacific through WWII.They had three children, William, Robert (Vietnam Veteran deceased), and Mary Ann.
Bella worked as a certified nursing assistant in local health care facilities and retired at 65. She enjoyed making people feel safe and comfortable. With great pride, she received her GED from Lowell High School at age 75. Likely their oldest graduate of record.
She was adored by her children and her son-in-law, Daniel Fischbach. She was very close to her sister Mary who died 10 years ago. She loved her cat, Kitty, whose ashes she has requested be sprinkled in a special beautiful place with hers.
She had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. Her Bingo friends enjoyed her company. She kept her own apartment until age 97.
She was preceded in death by her dear son, Robert Allen Schledwitz, sister Mary and her husband Ludger Elie, brothers John, Manny, Joseph, and George, and her beloved daughter-in-law Susan Duffy Schledwitz.
Her funeral will be a private affair at a beautiful place that she loved to go to as a child.
Donations in her memory would be appreciated at the Lowell Humane Society 951 Broadway St., Lowell, MA 01854 978-452-7781
Arrangements by McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell, 978-458-6816. Please find us on facebook or visit www.McDonoughFuneralHome.com to leave the family a message of condolence at any time.