Los Angeles- Funeral services were held April 1 for one of the internet’s most popular icons, Felicia “Auntie Fee” Odell, at Paradise Baptist Church, 5100 S. Broadway. While many wished this was a cruel April Fool’s joke, reality filled the room with tears and bowed heads, mixed with irreplaceable memories that helped hold mourners together. The room was filled to capacity with many fans there to show respect for the cussing chef that brought laughter and low-budget hardy recipes to YouTube.
Auntie Fee’s life was and is a living testimony that you can overcome. Her manager and niece Aisha Odell exclusively shared with the Sentinel, “Life’s a trip, God didn’t take her away when she was strung out on drugs on Denver Ave. (at one time in Auntie Fee’s life she was addicted to crack and served time in prison) God took her in her prime. God will set things up, line things up and change your whole program, but when your assignment on earth is complete as bad as it hurts there’s nothing we can do.”
Aisha Odell continues, “I spoke to my Aunt at 6:30am on March 14 we clowned as usual her cussing and fussing, we spoke about a catering job for the TV show Blackish that Friday. She was going to make her famous fried broccoli and wings. By 10:30am the paramedics was at her house. I’m going to miss that lady so much.”
Attendee Sandra Wortham stated, I felt like I had to be here. “I felt I knew her even though I never met her, I felt like she was a part of my family.” Patty Pie internet sensation James Wright sang at the service. The service had Auntie Fee’s humor, upbeat and feisty personality and reflected the love her family, friends and fans had for her.
Auntie Fee “met no strangers” as the saying goes, always welcoming folks into her home for an Aunty Fee meal, friendly banter, some of that famous Kool aid, a photo to prove you was there and if she liked you, she’d make you one of her famous Patron desserts.
Auntie Fee went viral in 2014, but she was always South Central famous attending 68th Street School, Bethune Middle School and Fremont High School. However, after her 2014 You Tube posting of “good ass chicken” and “sweet treats for the kids” her popularity went worldwide. One of her most viewed videos, which has more than 2 million views, is about feeding a family of seven for just $3.35. She was, auntie to all, cussing hood chef to the internet and comedy gold for Hollywood.
Her style of cussing, fussing, cooking and clowning her son Tavis/video director became an instant hit and caught the attention of many Hollywood stars hoping to grab some of her popularity and shine by inviting her on their shows.
Auntie was a favorite of Steve Harvey’s syndicated TV Show, Jimmy Kimmel, BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Snoop Dogg and many others. She once shared her frustrations with saying she loved all the attention but she was still looking for that big “budget” break. Explaining many opportunities came but compensation was always an issue. Nevertheless, she gave more of her talent because of her love, for the fans. Fans were inspired by her common-sense wisdom mixed with profanity and delicious quick meals.
Cooking with Auntie will live forever through her videos, the world got to know the realest cook in the hood, Auntie Fee. Before her death, she was working on a reality show executive produced by Comedian J Anthony Brown. No further details available.
After the funeral and later that evening her loved ones gathered at her home in South Central and lit up the sky with colorful lanterns in her memory. Auntie Fee suffered a massive heart attack on March 14 and was taken off of life support March 18 at Harbor-ULCA Medical Center.
