Dear Members and Friends:

We are sad to inform you that Felice Rood, the incomparable President (and founder!) of the Sacramento Turtle and Tortoise Club, passed away on October 9, 2021. She was 88.

Proudly born in the Bronx, NY, in December 1932, Felice met her husband Bill at the boat yards on the Hudson River, drawn together by their mutual love of boat racing. They would soon start a new life across the river in New Jersey, followed by a brief move to Ohio, then to Sacramento in 1971.

In 1981, Felice's life changed forever when she founded the Sacramento Turtle and Tortoise Club. She became the area's most well-known advocate for these creatures, earning her the nickname “The Turtle Lady,” and would provide information to hundreds of members of the club, as well as adoption, medical, and “hotel” services. Four times per year she published a newsletter for the club members, and also held a number of in-person meetings, including an annual “Turtlerama,” which she treasured.

Felice's second love was rock-n-roll music, especially The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Foo Fighters, and almost anything with a Hammond B3 organ and spinning Leslie speaker. An avid keyboard player, she played at Carnegie Hall with her class as a youth, and enjoyed entertaining residents at Eskaton Greenhaven in the 1990s.

Her other passions included tending to her cactus garden, crafting, sewing, spending time on her houseboat in the delta, her beloved Siamese cat, Kevin, and always a cup of Pepsi on ice.

Felice's sense of humor was second-to-none — she could find humor in anything, and wasn't afraid to share. She was a big fan of Howard Stern, listening to his show daily, and even styling her hair to match his curly locks. She was totally one-of-a-kind and will be missed.

The club's Facebook page remains active.

The family can be reached at sactorts@gmail.com

It is a great relief to report that all of the turtles and tortoises under Felice's care have been successfully re-homed. Thank you to several key Club members who assisted in this endeavor. At last count, there were more than 50 of them. A few more have revealed themselves since (yes, some of them are excellent at hiding) and we will continue to re-home them. Thanks for your generous donations over the years. All remaining funds have been donated to other turtle and tortoise rescue organizations.