Dorothy (Lapaglia) Feltner Fetters went to be with the Lord on April 1, 2019 – at the age of 92. She spent her final hours surrounded by family and friends. If you knew Dorothy, you were lucky, because she was a one-of-a-kind individual. Always positive and always happy! She loved taking care of the one’s she loved and was always willing to add another friend in her life! If you didn’t know her, well then you missed out on knowing someone really special.
Dorothy was born on November 11, 1926 in Bryan Texas to Tony and Anna Rosa (Margiotta) Lapaglia. She was the one of 13 children – growing up in the East Texas cotton fields near Hearne and Mumford, Texas. Dorothy was only able to finish the fourth grade – as times were tough, and many children at that time were needed to work and help support their families – which Dorothy did – picking cotton and helping take care of her younger siblings. She met a handsome young Army soldier named Arno Feltner – and the two of them became happily married in 1946. They moved to New Braunfels, Texas – where Arno was from – soon after, and lived there together until Arno passed away suddenly in 1970. During their time together, they had two beautiful children, Arnold Don and Lisa. After Arno’s passing, Dora continued to work hard to support her young family as a single mother. She worked at Mission Valley Mills, Lizann Dress Factory and Comet Hosiery Mill. She was never afraid to work, that’s for sure, and she did the very best she could to provide her children with everything they needed. In 1975 she met Melvin Fetters, who himself was a widower, and two of them began their 41-year romance. They were married in the summer of 1977 and enjoyed a beautiful life together, until Melvin’s passing in 2016. He was a 20-year retired Air Force Veteran – who worked for the United States Postal Service after he retired, so during that time Dorothy was able to be a stay-at-home mom who spent most of her time taking care of her husband, children and grandchildren. She always felt so blessed to have been married to two such wonderful men in her lifetime. In 2014, she also lost her precious son, Arnold Don, to cancer. It was devastating to her to have to bury one of her children. Dorothy was independent and self-reliant, and she continued to be very active, well in to her later years. She lived in her home on Landa Street for almost 60 years. She was a member of First Protestant Church, The Order of the Eastern Star, Herman Sons, and the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary.
Dorothy Fetters is preceded in death by her Mother and Father Tony and Anna Rosa Lapaglia, her first husband Arno Feltner, her son Arnold Don Feltner, her second husband Melvin R. Fetters; as well as sister Mary Ann Feltner and her husband Gus; and brothers, Carsdonia, Tony (and his wife Minnie); Joe Lapaglia, and brothers-in-law David Sellers and Weldon Feltner (and his wife Viola); and sisters-in-law, Mary Helen Lapaglia, Margaret Lapaglia, Hilda Lapaglia, Shirley Duncan (and her husband James), and Roma Feltner
She is survived by her daughter and best friend, Lisa Feltner Brucks and her husband Ken; a daughter-in-law, Sharon Feltner; grandson Jason Feltner, grandson Blaine Brucks and his wife Heather; a granddaughter, Lauren Brucks Saunders and her husband Brian; a great granddaughter, Kennedy Saunders; brothers, Sam, Phillip, Mike (Charlotte), Patrick, Johnny (Aleta) and Louis (Janelle) Lapaglia, a sister, Rosie Sellers, sisters-in-law, Bessie Lapaglia and Rita Green and her husband Don, and a brother-in-law Carl Feltner. Dorothy is also survived by over 40 nieces and nephews, as well as her dear friend and caretaker, Diana Bobince.
There will be a visitation and viewing at Zoeller Funeral Home from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2019. A service will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at First Protestant Church, with burial to follow at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park. Please join us in the celebration of such a beautiful life.
The family would like to thank Dr. Warren Albrecht for all his wonderful care and friendship over the years. We would also like to thank Jill Rodriguez from First Protestant Church, as well as the wonderful caring staffs at Eden Hill and Hope Hospice. Memorials may be made in Dorothy’s memory to First Protestant Church or Hope Hospice.
