Isabella was a vibrant young woman with a creative mind and a desire to achieve perfection in everything she did.
At the age of eight, she first set foot on the ice at North Star in Westborough, MA. It was as though she was made to skate. She took off that first day already gliding across the ice and attempting to spin. Completely fearless.
She would go on to continue skating at North Star and later at Colonial Figure Skating Club, competing around the country. She completed her Senior Moves test at 11 years old. She placed in numerous competitions throughout New England, Florida and Colorado throughout her career and had a box of medals she cherished.. At age 11, she was selected to star in a short film, Serpentine, which is available on Prime Video. She competed her last season at the Novice level in the National Qualifying Series enjoying one of the best seasons of her skating career with her two programs set to music from Schindler’s List and Richard Clayderman’s A Comme Amour.
After Covid, as rinks became less accessible for her she threw her energy into her other passions - baking, cooking, and drawing. While skating she was attending an online school so was excited to have the opportunity to join a classroom experience as she entered Framingham State University in the fall of 2022 to study Studio Art. She loved her time at the university walking the campus in the crisp fall and winter evenings and sitting in the golden light of May Hall. Her artwork was included in the Juried Student show in 2023. She spent countless hours drawing with pencil, charcoal, ink, and pastels. She painted, sculpted, and cut paper to create beautiful works of art for school and for herself. For every birthday, she provided a handwritten note usually accompanied by a unique Bella drawing and signed with her signature. She lives on in all the beautiful pieces she created.
In the past year, she relocated to Florida to continue her studies at Valencia College where she was just about to complete her Associates Degree in Studio Art. While she met some dear friends in Florida, she always considered Massachusetts her home and was anxious to return to apple cider donuts, snowfall at Christmas, and dark, rainy spring days.
In addition to her individual accomplishments, she enjoyed spending time with many close friends over the years. She spent countless hours photographing herself and her friends and creating videos of their trips together. She worked as a Learn to Skate coach in multiple rinks and her students always loved her. Her skating involvement didn’t end on the ice though. She also had an ear for music and often cut program music for herself and others. She designed dresses, including her own. And she worked just as hard off the ice as on, often teaching others off ice training exercises.
She loved her kitchen. She baked cookies and cupcakes and passed them out at her rinks, in her neighborhood, and anytime she could to family. She cooked daily and prided herself on preparing the perfect soup for the day - always without a recipe. When asked what was in it, she would say “I just used whatever we had and kept adding things. It’s probably not very good.” She was always wrong. Her food was delicious.
She loved her family and her dog, Banksy. She loved her time at home watching YouTube, listening to podcasts, and hanging out on the couch with her dog and mom watching the latest streaming show. But she also loved to see new places. She hiked through the hills of Switzerland while her mom attended a conference, she sat in the park in London enjoying a bottle of wine with one of her best friends, she was enthralled by a glassmaker in Aruba with her brothers, and she relaxed in the sun on Marco Island for a perfect day with her mom after a competition.
She was so vibrant and full of opinions. She passionately cared about world events and constantly spoke of her support for women.
In her short life, Bella’s drive for excellence, passion, and creativity showed in everything she touched. Whether it was a baked good, a figure skating jump, a music cut, or a drawing of a spoon in a glass of water, she put her heart and soul into it.
Bella, called Beans, Bellaboo, and/or Jules, depending on the day, is survived by her mom, Lisa Ramirez, her two brothers Cristian and Daniel, her sister Louisa, and her father, Jose. She is also the cherished granddaughter of Diane Kiwior and the niece of Sarah Duggan. All who she touched in life will be blessed by having known her.
To keep her spirit and passion alive the family is establishing scholarships in her name to support figure skaters and art students so that others can find joy in the ways she did.
A time of Visitation with her family will be on Saturday, December 14, from 10 a.m. until her Memorial Service begins at 11 a.m., with all services occurring in MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester.
In lieu of flowers and to keep her spirit and passion alive the family is establishing scholarships in her name to support figure skaters and art students so that others can find joy in the ways she did. One of the fund raisers can be found at https://gofund.me/9ac3bb2d
Saturday, December 14, 2024
10:00 - 11:00 am (Eastern time)
MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL
Visits: 2551
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