Helen Fela Ami

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Helen "Fela" Ami (née Aisenberg), beloved wife, mother, aunt, and daughter of Holocaust survivors Berl and Esther Aisenberg, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona. She was born August 30, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois.

Helen grew up in Chicago with a deep love of art and was a frequent visitor to the Art Institute of Chicago. She began her career as a typesetter for local newspapers and later worked for The Wall Street Journal. She then joined the U.S. Postal Service, where she built a long and dedicated career, adapting through many changes and relocations before retiring on April 1—the same date she was hired, in a moment she always found amusing.

Helen first met her husband, Arnie, in high school, but their love story truly began in 1978. Arnie had been working for Bell Helicopter International in Esfahan, Iran, since October 1, 1977. With a bit of loving orchestration by his sister, Shara, Helen traveled to Iran to care for Shara's newborn baby, Soraya—creating the opportunity for Helen and Arnie to reconnect. What began as a family visit soon became a lasting romance, as Helen traveled between Tehran and Esfahan on weekends while Arnie courted her. They were married on October 29, 1978, in Skokie, Illinois, and shared 47 years of devoted marriage.

Helen shared a special bond with her niece, Soraya, rooted in their mutual love of art and travel—passions she also shared deeply with Arnie. Together, Helen and Arnie built a life rich in exploration, from their honeymoon in Amsterdam and Athens to journeys throughout Israel, Turkey, Thailand, and Southeast Asia. Their time in Iran remained especially meaningful, including visits to the historic city of Shiraz and nearby Persepolis, where they experienced the legacy of the great poets Hafez and Saadi. Among their many adventures, our Danube River cruise through Central Europe stood out as a favorite.

Helen faced a nearly ten-year battle with ovarian cancer with courage, grace, and quiet strength, never losing her compassion or spirit.

She is survived by her loving husband, Arnie; her daughter, Jennifer; her son, Mike; her sister-in-law Shara and her husband Ahmad; her niece Soraya Fata Rabin, with whom she shared a deep love of art and travel; and her husband, our nephew Dani Rabin and grand-niece Hannah; and many cousins, Auntie Becky, Longtime friends
Sandy & John Zinn and dear friends from Leisure World and the Shalom Group in Mesa, as well many of Arnie's pickleball and poker friends

A celebration of Helen's life will be held on April 24, 2026, at Leisure World in Mesa, Arizona.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Helen's memory to support ovarian cancer research.

May her memory be a blessing.

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