Dawn DeFreese Schell

Dawn DeFreese Schell of Florida, N..Y, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, at Orange Regional Medical Center after a courageous fight with Pancreatic cancer. She was 63 years old.
Born on Nov. 29, 1953, in Ringwood, N.J., she was the daughter of Douglas and Freda (Mann) DeFreese.
She was married for 30 years to Harold Schell.
A homemaker, Dawn had previously worked in nursing. She loved to visit the casinos and playing the slot machines, enjoyed visiting garage sales and shopping on QVC, playing cards with her siblings and playing “dress-up” and putting on a show. She will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her husband, Harold “Harry” Schell of Florida, N.Y.; her daughter Nina Fernandez of Florida, N.Y.; her son Felix Fernandez of Florida, N.Y.; her granddaughters: Shawna Akacki and her husband Curtis and Anessia Rodriguez; her brothers Dale DeFreese, Larnie DeFreese and wife Harriet, William DeFreese and wife Alberta, Marvin DeFreese, Robert DeFreese and wife Joanne, Brian DeFreese and wife Helen and Michael DeFreese and wife Debbie; her sisters, Venus Miller and husband Marvin, Marie Payne and husband Jeff and Melissa Pitt and husband Lou; a goddaughter, Michelle (DeFreese) Hopkins; also survived by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Friday, Sept. 8, from 7 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 9, from 9 to 11 a.m., at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick.
Funeral service will follow at 11 am.
Interment will be in Warwick Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made, in Dawn’s name, to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation (via text HOPE4PC91 to 71777 of this information can be found on Shawna Akacki’s Facebook account).
For further information, directions or to send an online condolence, see www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.