Lady Mohammada “Chi Chi” Magdalena, 95, of Tampa, FL, passed away on Monday, August 11, 2014 at home.
She was born in Norfolk, VA on September 14, 1918, two months before the end of WWI, to Leonard and Carrie Fields. Her mother was a stay-at-home mother of four children, Leonard Jr., Cecelia, and Lillian Fields. Her father at one time worked at the White House as a limousine driver for Clarence S. Ridley, Governor of the Panama Canal area and an aide to former President Wilson who oversaw the establishment of the Arlington Memorial at Arlington Cemetery and Lincoln Memorial at Potomac Park, MD. Lady Magdalena’s grandfather was a helper for the US Naval Shipyard in Norfolk, VA. Lady was a Girl Reserve. She attended the Drexel Biddle School and became a graduate of the Cordoza High School in Washington, DC and a member of the St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church.
For over ten years she loved working as an executive bi-lingual secretary at the War Department. She said it was part of her duty in life to serve the government. Lady Magdalena was a quiet advocate for public justice and a silent advocate for civil rights. She studied various religions as well as languages. A religious gathering in Washington, DC was where she met her future husband, Raymond Fisher (aka Abdur Rahman), a WWII veteran who served 8 months in Germany supervising civilian Germans in the tool room. Raymond’s father, William, attended the Thaddeus Stevens School in Washington, DC, served in the 63 Pioneer Infantry Division of the US Army, is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His mother, Edna, worked 20 years for the FBI as a Maintenance Supervisor and was a member of the American War Mothers and contributed substantially to the Old Friendship Baptist Church in Washington, DC.
Lady Magdalena enjoyed sewing handmade hats. She also made wedding gowns, shoes, neckties, etc. She opened Magdalena Coterie Boutique on 1466 Erving Street in Washington, DC. She was a student of the Art of Cutting Mounting Stones and Opals. She was friends to ‘The Duke” who was the owner of “Treasure Of The Pirates”. After graduating his school, she created handmade jewelry, specializing in opals. She was also a friend to the owner of Mama Ayesha’s Restaurant in Washington, DC. Ayesha Abrams inspired her to name her second daughter after her. In the 1970’s she earned her two-year law degree from the Baruch Law School in New York City and became a member of the New York B’nai B’rith.
Both her and her husband did their job on earth trying to promote the support of democratic values that promotes prosperity, justice, and equality in America which resonate around the world.
Survivors include her son, Verona Andre Fenwick; two daughters, Mohammad Veronica Magdalena and Ayisha Shimamoto; sister, Lillian Stewart; nieces, Dr. Donna Powell-Goings and Carleta Fields McDonald; and nephew, Larry Stewart.
Please sign the guestbook below.
