Obituary

María Marcela was born on October 26, 1963 to parents Juan Luis Belloch Sanchis and María Marcela Belloch Rego in Madrid, Spain. She went home on March 20, 2023, leaving behind her loving daughters, Ariana Sofia Felton and Jessy H. Hargis. She made her home here in the United States in the town of Carencro, Louisiana, and worked tirelessly caring for others as the Chief of Operations for Felton Family Care, Inc., partnered with the girls’ father, Dr. Michael A. Felton.

María Marcela attended Amherst Central High School in Buffalo, New York, and graduated in 1981. She then went on to graduate from the State University of New York in Buffalo with a degree in Biology Pre-Med. She decided to further her education and attend medical school at Saint Georges University Medical School in the island nation of Grenada. Later she transferred to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. During her studies of medicine, she met her future husband, Michael A. Felton.

After graduating, the two then moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, and later opened the Felton Family Care Center in the town of Church Point. It was here that María found her work mission in life, serving as receptionist, medical assistant, nurse, scrub technician, guidance counselor, office manager, and eventually, as the corporation expanded, Chief of Operations for all of Felton Family Care, Inc. María’s work with the patients and families at the main office in Church Point made her a vital and cherished resource for the community. She dedicated herself tirelessly to helping all who approached her for assistance. Any person who asked received her unstoppable efforts on their behalf to correct whatever problem they brought to her. She never said no or that she did not have time but took on any issue with the phrase, “Okay sweetheart, let me see what I can do to help you” Her warm smile and soft voice comforted the sick, soothed the distraught and strengthened the weak. She never hesitated to pray with those she felt needed the Lord’s guidance and support.

As a God-fearing Christian woman, María handled the loss of a son to miscarriage with grace and strength born of faith. Later, when the Lord blessed the family with the birth of Ariana Sofia, she accepted the blessing with a focus on being the best mother she could be in every way possible. She supported Ariana’s school activities, serving as a room mother and taxi service. She headed her Girl Scout troop, mentoring and den mothering a large group of young ladies through the challenging parts of growing up. As the Lord often does, her mothering efforts were blessed with a second daughter Jessy, who joined the family at three years of age. The two girls are beautiful reflections of her love and dedication to their well-being and upbringing. Though she was taken from us all too soon, her love, dedication to God, and devotion to her beautiful daughters and others leave a legacy that will last forever.

Carrying on her mission of love and service to God Maria leaves her father Juan Luis Belloch Sanchis and mother María Marcela Belloch Rego, Michael Andrew Felton, daughters Ariana and Jessy, her sister Ana Lominski (Robert), mother-in-law Norma Felton, sister-in-laws Marilyn and Carolyn Felton, brother-in-law Mack Anthony Felton(Tasha) and a host of nieces, cousins and a nephew.