Fond Farewell: Computer Engineering Major Michael Fellis

Freshman Michael Fellis, a computer engineering major, passed away at home in San Diego on April 5. He was 19.

Born October 5, 1999, Fellis attended Mountain Empire High School before he was admitted to Chico State in fall 2017. He was the first in his family to attend college and eager to deepen his knowledge of computers and technology. Classes in his major were where he truly excelled.  

Computer science faculty member Renee Renner remembers Fellis for being positive, respectful, and kind, but even more so for the aptitude and passion he demonstrated in her class. Always sitting in the front row, he had perfect attendance and earned one of the highest participation scores.

She describes Fellis as “an academic role model for the other students.”

“I could always count on him being there, being prepared, and knowing the answers. I would have to ask, ‘Is there anybody besides Michael who could help me out here?’” Renner said. “He seemed so together, and passionate, and bright. He was my right-hand man, my go-to in that class.”

English instructor Linda Rogers taught Fellis in spring 2018, and said he was a “supportive classroom citizen every single day” and often chosen first for pairs or group work because of his reputation to be reliable, hardworking, and contemplative. She also bonded with him outside of class through her Siberian husky, who he often visited, showering the dog with love, affection, and exercise.

Rogers noted that one of her fondest memories was bumping into him at a protest march about school safety and gun violence in downtown Chico last spring.

“Michael’s face lit up when he saw me, as mine did seeing his. He later pulled me aside to thank me for being there. It was that extra effort, that reaching out, that personal connection, that I’ll remember most about Michael Fellis.”

He is survived by his mother, Jeanette; brother, Joseph; and grandmother, Patricia Olson. A GoFundMe has been established to support his family with funeral expenses.

We will share service details when we learn of them. The University flag will be lowered Monday, April 15, in his honor.

Students can access free urgent walk-in services at the Counseling and Wellness Center located in Student Services Center, Room 430, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Services are available 24/7 by calling 530-898-6345.

Faculty and staff can contact LifeMatters at 1-800-367-7474 or www.mylifematters.com for 24/7 counseling and other services. Password: csuchico. For more information, go to www.csuchico.edu/eap/.

Computer science faculty member Renee Renner remembers Fellis as being positive, respectful, and kind, but even more so for the aptitude and passion he demonstrated in her class. Always sitting in the front row, he had perfect attendance and earned the highest participation score among all 39 students.

She describes Fellis as “an academic role model for the other students.”

“I could always count on him being there, being prepared, and knowing the answers. I would have to ask, ‘Is there anybody besides Michael who could help me out here?’” Renner said. “He seemed so together, and passionate, and bright. He was my right-hand man, my go-to in that class.”

English instructor Linda Rogers taught Fellis in spring 2018, and said he was a “supportive classroom citizen every single day” and often chosen first for pairs or group work because of his reputation to be reliable, hard-working, and contemplative. She also bonded with him outside of class through her Siberian husky, who he often visited, showering the dog with love, affection, and exercise.

“One of my fondest memories of Michael was bumping into him at the March for Our Lives last spring,” she said. “Michael’s face lit up when he saw me, as mine did seeing his. He later pulled me aside to thank me for being there, for supporting him. It was that extra effort, that reaching out, that personal connection, that I’ll remember most about Michael Fellis.”

He is survived by his mother, Jeanette; brother, Joseph; and grandmother, Patricia Olson. A GoFundMe has been established to support his family with funeral expenses.

We will share service details when we learn of them. The University flag will be lowered Monday, April 15, in his memory.