Vicki Joan Fenster

Beloved mother of Michael (Tammy) Fenster, Robert (Linda) Fenster and Julie (Annmarie Gagne) Fenster; Dear Grandmother of Hannah Fenster, Colin (Wendy Peters) Fenster, Casey Fenster and Jacob Fenster, step-grandchildren Emma Stanwood, TJ Stanwood and William Stanwood; Dear Sister of Richard (Micheline) Rothman; Aunt, cousin and friend to many.

Vicki (affectionately known as “Vava”) lived a long, full, and richly textured life fueled by her high-octane energy, vision, faith, and deep passion for others. She began in the performing arts early, first as a cheerleader and high school queen, and carried that love of performance and creativity with her throughout her life.

Vicki became a vibrant leader in the St. Louis performing and visual arts community. Her talents spanned dancing, singing, jewelry and craft making, painting, drawing, wire art, graphic design, and choreographing bar mitzvahs and weddings. She sang and danced in a wide variety of venues, including performances earlier in life with “the girls,” and later with the Cameo Club, the Missouri Senior America Pageant, the St. Louis Senior Olympics, senior centers, and nursing homes—always bringing joy, sparkle, and connection to her audiences.

In 1977, Vicki introduced aerobic dancing to hundreds of women at the Jewish Community Center Association, a program that later expanded to include classes for men, the hearing-impaired, and older adults. In recognition of her impact, St. Louis Magazine named her one of the “80 People to Watch in 1980.” In 2002, she was crowned Ms. Senior Missouri First Runner-Up. Blending creativity with entrepreneurship, Vicki also built successful ventures in antiques and later in selling her handmade jewelry.

Beyond the arts, Vicki delighted in life’s pleasures—game shows, romance novels, traveling, and perhaps most of all, the St. Louis Cardinals. She proudly held a “contract” with the Cardinals for catching a foul ball in the air, listened faithfully to every game beginning in the 1960s (earplugs in, scorebook in hand), and told her family during the final week of her life that she hoped to make it to Opening Day.

Vicki expressed unwavering love and devotion to her family, friends, and community in countless ways—through encouragement, generosity, mentorship, and her ability to make everyone feel seen and celebrated. Her friends meant the world to her and formed her larger family. She absolutely adored her grandchildren, took great pride (and endless joy) in them, and never missed a chance to jokingly encourage them to marry and give her great-grandchildren.

Whether gathered with loved ones at her favorite restaurants, sprinkling Yiddish into conversation, or simply being together, family and friends were the greatest source of her happiness and nachas.

She raised funds for numerous St. Louis charities, beginning with the Fern Waldman Memorial Fund for childhood cancer research, and later through organizations including the Cameo Club, the Missouri Pageant Alumnae Club, the St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness Foundation and others. She also generously gave her time teaching and supporting children with special needs, sharing patience, creativity, and joy with those who needed it most. Vicki believed God gave her the ability to see and help create miracles—of nature, life, love, family, friendship, the arts, and service to others. She felt that life is shaped not by what happens to us, but by what we do with those experiences.

May God bless Vicki—Vava, mom, relative, and friend—who lived a life filled with passion, purpose, individuality, independence, authenticity, and enthusiastic verve. We will miss you dearly. We see you dancing amongst the stars, free to be the love that you are, cheering us on from above.

Funeral Service Tuesday January 27, 12 PM at United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Rd. St. Louis, MO. 63141 (Also Available by Live Stream) Interment to follow at Beth Shalom Cemetery, 650 White Rd. Chesterfield, MO. 63017.

Memorial contributions preferred to Camp Braveways https://campbraveways.com (formerly Camp Rainbow) or the charity of your choice.