Obituary for Arcangela Mele (Chiera)
LATHAM – It is with great sadness that the family of Arcangela Mele, a much loved wife, mother and grandmother, announce her peaceful passing from this life on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at the age of 88 years.
Born in Cardinale, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy on November 10, 1930, Arcangela was the last surviving of four children born to the late Sebastiano and Sarafina (Gallo) Chiera. She was raised and educated in Italy and, with her family, came to the United States in 1973. A resident of Latham for many years, she had also resided in South Troy.
Mrs. Mele was employed by the former Our Lady of Hope Residence in Troy and later by the Albany Medical Center Hospital from where she retired in 1994. Although she enjoyed her work in healthcare, Mrs. Mele was never any happier than when she was caring for her family and her home. She was the epitome of a dedicated and loving wife, mother and grandmother. Her greatest pleasures were derived from the moments spent with her family; holidays; birthdays, weddings and celebrations of every kind. She loved to cook, listen to music and dance. She was devout in her Catholic faith demonstrating her Christian values by her actions in her everyday life, attending Mass at St, Ambrose Church and through her membership in the Third Order Franciscans Secular.
Arcangela leaves her family and friends with many wonderful memories to cherish and emulate. She will especially be remembered for her unending love, generous spirit, and the care given to all she encountered. So infectious was her personality that, over the years, she gained many good friends and her children’s friends in the neighborhood often thought of her as their second mother. She enjoyed assisting friends of Italian decent by writing letters for them to their relatives overseas. Her achievement of obtaining her driver’s license at the age of 47 was a source of pride for Arcangela and was inspirational to her children and grandchildren. Her passing leaves a large void in the lives of those who knew and loved her and she will be deeply missed.
Arcangela was the beloved wife of the late Rocco Mele, to whom she was married for 50 years, at the time of his passing on December 2, 1999. She was the loving mother of Mary Grace (Vittorio) Renda of Latham, Nicola (Kelly) Mele of Watervliet, Sarafina (late Mario) Mele of Italy, Fernando Mele of Colonie, Gerardo Mele of Latham, Rita (Frank) Archina of Colonie, Ines Esposito-Mele of Latham, Raffaele (Melinda) Mele of Clifton Park, Anoinella (Anthony) Mangini of Nesconset, NY, Francesco (Daniele) Mele of Sarasota, FL and Luciana Sabatino of Guilderland; cherished grandmother of Nicola, Rocco and Isabella Renda, late Nicola Mele, Bianca Mele, late Teresa Mele, Nicole, Arcangela, Sarah, James, Laura, Melissa, Sophia, Ryan, Arcangela, Rocco Mele, late Luciano Mele, Angela, Rocco, Francesco and Antonio Archina, Raffaelle Esposito, Jessica Mele, Raffaelle Mele, Luciana Condit, Giovanni Mangini, Grace, Giuliana and Francesca Mele. Also surviving are 17 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Her funeral will begin on Friday at 10 am from the Bowen & Parker Bros Funeral Home, 97 Old Loudon Road, Latham and will proceed to St. Ambrose Church, 347 Old Loudon Road, Latham where her funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 am. Entombment will follow in St. Mary’s Mausoleum in Troy where Arcangela will rest with her beloved Rocco. Friends are invited to attend and may also visit with Arcangela’s family on Thursday from 4 until 8 pm at the funeral home.
For those who wish to remember Arcangela in a special way, donations would be appreciated to the Alzheimer’s Association, 4 Pine West Plaza, #405, Albany, NY 12205, the American Cancer Society, 1 Penny Lane, Latham, NY 12110 or the Capital City Rescue Mission, 259 S. Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202.
Born in Cardinale, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy on November 10, 1930, Arcangela was the last surviving of four children born to the late Sebastiano and Sarafina (Gallo) Chiera. She was raised and educated in Italy and, with her family, came to the United States in 1973. A resident of Latham for many years, she had also resided in South Troy.
Mrs. Mele was employed by the former Our Lady of Hope Residence in Troy and later by the Albany Medical Center Hospital from where she retired in 1994. Although she enjoyed her work in healthcare, Mrs. Mele was never any happier than when she was caring for her family and her home. She was the epitome of a dedicated and loving wife, mother and grandmother. Her greatest pleasures were derived from the moments spent with her family; holidays; birthdays, weddings and celebrations of every kind. She loved to cook, listen to music and dance. She was devout in her Catholic faith demonstrating her Christian values by her actions in her everyday life, attending Mass at St, Ambrose Church and through her membership in the Third Order Franciscans Secular.
Arcangela leaves her family and friends with many wonderful memories to cherish and emulate. She will especially be remembered for her unending love, generous spirit, and the care given to all she encountered. So infectious was her personality that, over the years, she gained many good friends and her children’s friends in the neighborhood often thought of her as their second mother. She enjoyed assisting friends of Italian decent by writing letters for them to their relatives overseas. Her achievement of obtaining her driver’s license at the age of 47 was a source of pride for Arcangela and was inspirational to her children and grandchildren. Her passing leaves a large void in the lives of those who knew and loved her and she will be deeply missed.
Arcangela was the beloved wife of the late Rocco Mele, to whom she was married for 50 years, at the time of his passing on December 2, 1999. She was the loving mother of Mary Grace (Vittorio) Renda of Latham, Nicola (Kelly) Mele of Watervliet, Sarafina (late Mario) Mele of Italy, Fernando Mele of Colonie, Gerardo Mele of Latham, Rita (Frank) Archina of Colonie, Ines Esposito-Mele of Latham, Raffaele (Melinda) Mele of Clifton Park, Anoinella (Anthony) Mangini of Nesconset, NY, Francesco (Daniele) Mele of Sarasota, FL and Luciana Sabatino of Guilderland; cherished grandmother of Nicola, Rocco and Isabella Renda, late Nicola Mele, Bianca Mele, late Teresa Mele, Nicole, Arcangela, Sarah, James, Laura, Melissa, Sophia, Ryan, Arcangela, Rocco Mele, late Luciano Mele, Angela, Rocco, Francesco and Antonio Archina, Raffaelle Esposito, Jessica Mele, Raffaelle Mele, Luciana Condit, Giovanni Mangini, Grace, Giuliana and Francesca Mele. Also surviving are 17 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Her funeral will begin on Friday at 10 am from the Bowen & Parker Bros Funeral Home, 97 Old Loudon Road, Latham and will proceed to St. Ambrose Church, 347 Old Loudon Road, Latham where her funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 am. Entombment will follow in St. Mary’s Mausoleum in Troy where Arcangela will rest with her beloved Rocco. Friends are invited to attend and may also visit with Arcangela’s family on Thursday from 4 until 8 pm at the funeral home.
For those who wish to remember Arcangela in a special way, donations would be appreciated to the Alzheimer’s Association, 4 Pine West Plaza, #405, Albany, NY 12205, the American Cancer Society, 1 Penny Lane, Latham, NY 12110 or the Capital City Rescue Mission, 259 S. Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202.