Isabelle Marie Weller

She was born in her grandparents’ (Richard and Nancy Caviness) farmhouse in Central Lake, Michigan, on October 30, 1919, to Jack Lewis Brown and Faythe Caviness Knowles. She would often tell the story that when she would get to stay overnight with her grandparents, when her parents came to pick her up, she would have a new brother or sister.

She grew up in Central Lake with her five siblings. She enjoyed working on the farm with her dad and attending to the farm animals and gardens. During the springtime her and her siblings would have to go and gather as many dandelion flowers as they could find so that her dad could make dandelion wine. She was so embarrassed by what the neighbors would think that she would gather them as quickly as she could. Springtime also meant that her dad would be making homemade root beer which she and her siblings always looked forward to.

She loved attending school and going to Sunday school. She had perfect attendance in both. She was even gifted a bible for not missing a day of Sunday school for a whole year.

Her family later moved to Wayne, Michigan so her dad could find work. In 1936 at the age of 17 she left school to work in a factory making .60 cents an hour to help her family financially. She hated to leave school but was very proud of the work she did in the factory and having perfect attendance there too.

She met her first husband Joseph MacAfee Coram Sr. in Wayne, Michigan, they were married on January 15, 1938. They had two children; Judith Ann was born in 1942, and Joseph MacAfee was born in 1946. They moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1950 because of health issues she had due to the climate in Michigan and to find work. She had moved around a lot throughout her lifetime before settling down in Rosamond, Ca, where she had lived for almost 60 years.

She would re-marry after her first husband passed away to Clyde Weller Sr. on July 25, 1970, whom she loved deeply. She became a proud sept mother of 7 children.

Her passion for sports was extraordinary, with baseball and football being her favorites. She was a devoted fan of the LA Dodgers and the Detroit Lions. Her memory for baseball statistics was astonishing. She kept a notebook filled with stats for her beloved Dodgers, staying sharp and engaged until the very end. We had hoped this would have been the year for the Detroit Lions to make it to the Super Bowl, to say she was disappointed would be putting it lightly.

She loved animals from a young age, from the farm animals that she grew up with to dogs, cats that had special accommodations to protect them from other animals, baby birds that they would rescue from their backyard. She became known as the turtle lady in Rosamond because she rescued a couple of tortoises from the road. Once people found out that she provided them with a safe environment they would bring the tortoises that they would find on the roads.

She taught by example and would only give advice when asked for it. She would say as your children grow up, you must let them make their mistakes, you can only be there to pick up the pieces, and there will be many pieces to pick up. She would always say in one hand you have your wants, and in the other hand you have your needs. You always take care of your needs first, if there is anything left and their usually wasn’t, then you can have a want. She could keep a secret, so for those of you who trusted her to keep your secrets you can rest assured she took those secrets with her.

She never spoke ill of anyone and was always kind to anyone she met. She had the opportunity to meet so many special people during her lifetime. She touched many lives and was equally touched by those she met. There would be many people throughout the years that come and stay with her, her sisters and brothers, nephews and nieces and even their friends were all welcome in her home. She would feed them, and give them a place to stay, and take care of some of them in their last days. Her family and her special friends meant everything to her.

It was a day filled with joy when she went to heaven and was reunited with all those who proceeded her in death her father; Jack Brown, Mother; Faythe Brown, five brothers and sisters; Her first husband, Joseph MacAfee Coram, their two children; Judith Ann Stetson and Joseph MacAfee Coram Jr., one grand-daughter Cindy Elaine Hill, and multiple nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her son-in-law George Stetson III, and daughter in-law Carol Coram, three grand-daughters; Deena M Menezes, Jamie Ann Bender (James Bender), and Judith Marie Young, 19 great- grandchildren, 30 great-great grandchildren, 2 great-great great-grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.

She is also proceeded in death by her second husband Clyde Weller Sr. and her stepdaughter Peggy King.

She is survived by 6 stepchildren Debbie Collins, Sally Durben, Clyde Weller III, John Weller, Frances Magar, and Paul Weller. 18 sept-Grandchildren. 12 step-great grandchildren.

This is just a small snapshot of 105 years. She was blessed with a very big family that she loved very, very, very much!