Amelia Fales

Amelia S. Fales, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 25, 1922 to Edith and Alvin Stembel, was a lover of family and travel. She lit up the room with her personality, wowed her listeners with stories from her past (she was a descendent of James M. Goodhue founder of the st. Paul Pioneer Press!), encouraged a close-knit family unit and acted as a strong foundation for the Fales, Faris and Bras family.

She was raised by her grandparents Marion and Clarence Stembel for most of her childhood. She lived in Las Vegas and Santa Fe, New Mexico and later spent her summers in La Jolla, California. Her vibrant educational history included Oak Hall School for girls in St. Paul, a brief time in Wheeling, West Virginia, Hockaday School in Dallas and she graduated from Sandia School for girls in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was always interested in drama and fortunate enough to study for two years at the School for Dramatic Art under its founder Maria Ouspenskaya. But Amelia always said that she was more concerned with having fun than studying Drama!

The sunshine called her back West and while working in Palm Springs she met and later married Lt. Robert W. Andrae. When she accepted his proposal she had to break up with two other boyfriends! They had one child, Christine Edith in Newark, New Jersey. Capt Andrae was killed in 1944 in the Battle of the Bulge. Amelia vividly recalled receiving the telegram stating that he had been killed in action as well as having a dream about him the week before. She believed in her heart that it was during her dream that he passed. Robert Andrae never had the chance to meet his daughter. With the help of the Andrae family she returned to California.

In 1947 she met and married her wonderful husband of 57 years, Willard Curtis Fales. They met at a friend's wedding and on their first date she drove him to the beach in her Buick convertible where they built a bon-fire and spoke for three hours. Amelia was concerned that he wasn't interested in her as he never tried to hold her hand. Six dates later, including a brief courtship involving Bill Fales flying a plane down to see her, they were married. They had one child, Ralph Stephen. Commanding Officer Fales was called back to active duty in 1950 and the family moved to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. From here it was on to Pearl Harbor, Washington DC, Corpus Christi, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where CO Fales retired. He then went to work with Polaroid Corporation and the family moved to Lynfield, Massachusetts and later to Boston. His final career was with Bechtel Corporation where Bill and Amelia's lives moved to New York City, San Francisco, and even Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Bill and Amelia celebrated their time together with travel and while in Saudi they traveled to Nairobi, Luxor, Cairo, Bangkok, Pakistan, Bali, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Lebanon, Cypress and found themselves retiring on the other side of the world to San Antonio, Texas. In their retirement years they traveled to Korea, Japan, Alaska, Mexico, Chile - Amelia always said "Give me a ticket on a plane and I will go!"

She had a full and happy life with wonderful and loving children and grandchildren. She was predeceased by her cherished daughter Chris, her two loving husbands, her dear sister Marion Bras, and beloved nephew Robert Bras as well as her parents and grandparents. She is survived by her son Ralph Fales of Santiago, Chile, her son-in-law William Faris of Austin, Texas and grandchildren: Hunter and Alex Faris as well as Lauren and Stephen Fales. She is survived by her great-grandchildren Ashley and Ian Faris. She also leaves behind her nieces Mimi and Pam and their families and nephews Robert and Jamie as well as Jenny Bras and her adopted Canadian Bras family, led by what she called her other daughter - Maggie Bras - who were so special to her. The day before Amelia passed she said "I have had a wonderful life with two wonderful husbands and a wonderful family - what more could I ask for? I have been so blessed." She was truly one of a kind.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Robert & Maggie Bras and Family New Drug Development Program at the Princess Margaret at www.pmhf.ca/bras