Adele Louise Alexander
December 26, 1938 - October 13, 2025
Adele Alexander passed away peacefully on October 13, 2025. Born on December 26, 1938, in Steubenville, Ohio, to Doc and Ida DeLuca, Adele lived a full and generous life defined by faith, family, friendship, and service.
Adele married the love of her youth, John Daniel Alexander, on June 23, 1962. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Downey, California, where they built a home filled with warmth, laughter, and hospitality while raising their three children: Mary Rose Alexander, John Hugo Alexander, and Paula Adele Carson. After John’s passing, Adele found renewed companionship and joy, marrying Alex Ambruso on July 30, 1995. Throughout her life, she cherished her community and the enduring friendships that sustained her through every season.
A cum laude graduate of Mount St. Joseph, Adele began her career as a third-grade teacher, a vocation that reflected her lifelong gift for nurturing others. She later served as a grief counselor, accompanying many with compassion and steadiness through times of loss. In Downey, Adele’s civic spirit was unmistakable. She was an active member of the Assistance League of Downey, serving as President and leading the Thrift Shop for many years with energy, creativity, and unflagging dedication. For decades, she was a devoted member of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Women’s Guild, where her faith, empathy, and service were woven into the fabric of parish life.
In the 1980s, Adele’s entrepreneurial flair found expression in Let’s Pretend, a beloved costume shop she owned and operated with friends Terry D’Eramo, Maria D’Orazio, Lena Cicero, and Edward D’Orazio. Together, they dressed generations of children and adults for Halloweens, school plays, and joyous occasions across Downey and beyond. Ever playful and irrepressibly kind, Adele also volunteered for many years as “Daffodil the Clown,” bringing laughter, color, and comfort to sick children—a ministry of joy that perfectly captured her generous heart.
Adele is survived by her three adoring children, Mary Rose, John, and Paula; eight grandchildren who lit up her life—Maria Gilfoyle, Charlie (Megan) Carson, Jack (Taylor) Alexander, John Carson, Danielle Gilfoyle, Andrew Carson, Julia (Holland) Voigt, and Mia Carson; her sons-in-law Timothy Gilfoyle and Jimmy Carson; and her daughter-in-law-to-be, Olivia Sellards; her siblings, Marian Harper, Marilyn (Nino) Sferrella, Sheila DeLuca, and Vincent (Dane) DeLuca. Adele was a beloved aunt to many of their children and grandchildren especially those who lived nearby Vincent & Valarie (Joey) DeLuca and the newest addition, Kiki Payne. She is also survived by her and Alex’s family, including Susan (Don) Luchay and Janet (Tim) Basalone, their grandchildren Sarah (John) Luchay Lamp, Adam Luchay, Tasha Luchay, Joseph Basalone and Michael Basalone and great grandchildren Sloan Lamp and Teddy Lamp. She will be deeply missed by her special friend, Hop Morrison, whose companionship brought her great happiness.
Practically perfect in every way, Adele’s life was a testament to steadfast love, tireless service, and a gift for making ordinary moments feel festive and memorable. She was the “glue of Downey,” a true “Mom to the community,” and her kitchen was as welcoming as her embrace—Adele loved to bake, especially her best biscotti, incredible pies and homemade graham crackers. She leaves a legacy of kindness and community that will long endure in the places she served, the families she comforted, and the many lives she brightened with a smile, a helping hand, and, often, a bit of confetti.
A visitation will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 10:00 am on Monday, October 20, 2025 followed by Mass at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who loved Adele, the grandest of them all, to honor her memory through acts of kindness and service within their own communities—just as she did every day. Gifts can also be made to the Assistance League of Downey in her remembrance.