Isabel Maria (Hernandez) Stella

1940 –2020

Earth lost a beautiful soul and heaven gained a shining star, with the passing of our beloved Isabel on March 20, 2020.

One of six children, she was born on July 31, 1940 to Jose and Maria Hernandez, in Adjuntas Puerto Rico. The family moved to Garfield, New Jersey in 1956. Jose sponsored Isabel and sister Esther with beautician school and then the expense of a startup business “Princess Coiffures”, the beauty salon to be managed, by these two teenagers.

Isabel met her future husband Carl Stella, at an Italian dance (IL Corso Ballroom), in New York in 1962. It was to be the merger of two cultures, Puerto Rican and Italian, which timely mimicked the acclaimed Broadway Play, “Westside Story”. They married in 1964 and moved to sunny California.

The family purchased their first home in the new community of Valencia in 1967. There, Isabel unselfishly doted on children Daniel Stella (Carol), Kimberly Fast (Mark), Candice Stella (Jan Skovgaard) and Vincent Stella (Alicia). Nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren followed.

A stay-at-home Mom, Isabel provided the family, with warm delicious meals, pristine housekeeping, motherly love, exhaustive community volunteering and countless children sleep overs.

With the children grown, Isabel pursued education. She earned a COC associates degree, a CSUN BS degree, and several certifications in sociology. In 1992, Isabel accepted an entry position in the LA County Social Services Department. Promotions and management positions followed and she retired in 2005 with a gala party attended by 200 guests, mainly LA County coworkers and supervisors. She was loved by staff, management, and clients.

Isabel was predeceased by her parents, infant granddaughter Ashely, and sisters Cristelia and Edith. Sister Esther passed away in early March 2021.

A funeral mass and burial will be attended by family only on March 20. Those so inclined may wish to donate in her honor to Isabel’s favorite charity Autism Speaks.