Fanny Yalim Singer, of Yarmouthport, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, April 30, 2018, after a valiant eleven-year battle with cancer. A native of Ujung Pandang (Makassar) on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, Fanny was born in 1959 and emigrated to the United States in 1983. She completed her college education, worked at two careers, raised a family, and created a wonderful life in America for the next 35 years. She came for challenge and opportunity, lived that challenge, took hold of that opportunity, and was appreciative of everything that she had. She often noted with a gleam that she was in perfect health, other than the cancer. Cancer would not, and did not, rule her.

Fanny is survived by her husband, Andrew L. Singer, and her two sons, Adrian N. Singer and Ethan N. Singer, all of Yarmouthport; her in-laws, Elaine and Myer Singer of South Yarmouth; her sister-in-law and her husband, Jocelyn G. and Marc I. Howard, and their three children, Kaia, Victoria, and Aaron, all of Yarmouthport; her brother-in-law, Stephen D. Singer, of West Yarmouth; her sisters, Melanie Bey, Melina Yalim, Lanny Quarles, and Yenny Yalim, and their spouses and children; and her brothers, Petrus Yalim and Paulus Yalim, and their spouses, children, and grandchild. Fanny was predeceased by her parents, Toyarus Yalim and Yuli Karwini. She is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and nieces. Fanny loved her family, and we loved her.

Adrian and Ethan were Fanny’s pride and joy, and she was immensely proud of how they have grown into honorable and intelligent young men. Fanny was a maestro in the kitchen who loved experimenting and rarely used recipes. Fanny never stopped striving to learn and had recently begun studying French at home because speaking five languages was not enough. Traveling was an important part of our lives, particularly after her diagnosis. We made the effort to spend time together as a family and show the boys as much of the world as possible. Fanny reinvented herself seven years ago and became the first Mandarin Chinese teacher at St. John Paul II High School. She knew the subject matter cold, but had to teach herself to be a teacher. She succeeded with distinction. Fanny was devoted to her students and to SJPII, and the love and admiration was reciprocated in full.

Everyone loved Fanny--her cheerfulness, her smile, her loyalty, her willingness to jump in and help, and her interest in all around her. What many did not know, because Fanny was intensely private, was that she was ill. Fanny was treated for breast cancer at Faulkner Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Center, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her care was nothing short of phenomenal. The doctors, nurses, and staff who helped Fanny were all wonderful and two in particular deserve special appreciation: Her principal oncologist, Dr. Daniel A. Morganstern, was dedicated ot Fanny’s care and found chemotherapies and other medicines that kept her going strong for more than a decade; and Lee Ann Parkinson, her principal infusion nurse, provided compassionate care and caused Fanny’s face to light up each time they met.

The Staff at Beacon Hospice was excellent in helping us fulfil Fanny’s desire to spend her remaining time at home. They were always on call, answering questions, providing care and comfort, and arranging for equipment and medicines. Thank you, in particular, to Sarah Coveney, Katherine Kopetz, and Dr. Jennifer Patten. Fanny required more care in her final days, and there are three women plus a mother-in-law who did loving, yeoman’s work and to whom we are eternally grateful: Cristiane Fitzgerald, Robyn Fontaine, Heather Roberts, and Elaine Singer.

Family and friends are invited to call at the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., South Yarmouth, MA on Sunday, May 6, 2018 from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. closing with a prayer service. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, May 7, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Francis Xavier Church, 347 South Street, Hyannis, MA. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers,Fanny has requested that donations be made to St. John Paul II High School, 120 High School Road, Hyannis, MA 02601, to be used toward scholarship assistance for students. 

I'm so sorry for your loss, Andrew. She was much to young.