Orisa Frontiera

When it came to giving, Orisa Frontiera had a heart of gold. She loved completely and fully at every opportunity, and would easily drop everything to be there for a friend or family member in need. Orisa's greatest joy was found in the family she dearly loved, and numerous others whom she called friend. Compassionate and kind, the lives Orisa touched were made richer and brighter for having known and loved her. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

While Charlie's Angels was the TV show to watch in 1978, the Bee Gees took over the airwaves, and box office hits like Grease and Saturday Night Fever took movie theaters by storm. A peanut farmer from Georgia, Jimmy Carter was the 39th President of the United States at a time when the U.S. economy was at a crucial turning point. With increasing fuel prices, Japanese auto imports fueled consumer demand for economy cars. Yet nestled in the small Michigan community of Hart, Samuel and Rebeca (Carpentier) Frontiera were celebrating the birth of a new child in their lives when on October 16, 1978 they welcomed Orisa Beth into their arms.

One of three children, Orisa grew up in a close knit family alongside her siblings, Samuel and Yolanda. Always nurturing and loving from her earliest years, she was like a "little mother hen" to her younger brother and sister. Her father worked in the auto industry for both the Ford Motor Company and General Motors. Her mother looked after their household and also worked for the State of Michigan until retiring. Raised in Mears, Michigan where the Frontiera family made their home, Orisa enjoyed a childhood filled with adventure and the love of family. Her father was one of 12 children, and many enjoyable holidays were shared with extended family. including numerous cousins. Memorable times were also enjoyed on family vacations to Texas, Niagara Falls, Cedar Point, and to destinations in Northern Michigan.

Having attended Boyce Elementary School, Orisa remained in the Ionia Public School system. She was a fun loving and high spirited teen who was quite outgoing and a friend to many. When Orisa was learning to drive, she put the family car in a ditch, and vowed to never make that mistake again! To further her education, she later went on to attend college in Phoenix, Arizona for a time.

When Orisa became a mother to her son, Eryk Leyva in 1998, followed by the birth of her little girl, Annelise Sawdy in 2007, her heart could barely contain her love for them. In them she found her greatest purpose, and her love for them was beyond compare. Orisa's love knew no boundaries. She was not only an amazing mother, but an incredible daughter, sister, aunt and friend to all who knew her. Whether it was her children, other family member or a friend, Orisa gave the best advice and was a wonderful listener. She made the days of all a little brighter just by her encouraging words and thoughtful ways.

In her free time, Orisa's hobbies included cooking, baking and shopping. She loved food from many cultures, but Italian was her favorite. When Orisa cooked, everyone was glad to be at her table to enjoy one of her scrumptious meals. She loved cookbooks, and through the years she came to accumulate an assortment to refer to. Music was another thing Orisa loved, especially hip-hop and the oldies. As an avid reader, she was a fan of anything published by Nicholas Sparks, and the V.C. Andrews series of books. Orisa counted pictures and jewelry given to her by her parents as her most prized possessions.

Through her caring heart, many came to know and love Orisa. She loved to the fullest, and would do anything to help someone, often placing the needs of others before her own. If there was a problem, Orisa was the one everyone came to for sound advice, and a caring hug. With ways all her own, the compassion she had for others was a blessing in the lives of all who knew and loved her. Although taken much too soon from love's embrace, the heart of Orisa lives on in those she touched and loved. With joy and thanksgiving, she will be lovingly remembered for having been such an integral part of each life she came to know and love.

Orisa B. Frontiera, age 36 passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, April 8, 2015. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Yolanda Victoria and Samuel Frontiera, and Jesusa and Ramon Carpentier. She is survived by her children, Eryk Leyva and Annelise Sawdy; her parents, Rebeca Carpentier and Samuel Frontiera, stepmother, Vickie Frontiera; siblings, Samuel Jason Frontiera and Yolanda Frontiera; and her nieces and nephews, Elyjah, Jozcelyn, Jayden and Jayce Chapa. Funeral services will be held Monday, April 13, 2015, 11:00 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 1833 Plainfield NE where friends may meet her family on Sunday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. Memorial contributions to assist her children would be appreciated. To sign Orisa's online guestbook and to share a favorite memory of her, please visit her web page at www.lifestorynet.com.