RAFAEL A. MELENDEZ

MELENDEZ, RAFAEL A. Rafael A. Melendez of North Haven died peacefully July 18, 2015 at Connecticut Hospice. Rafael arrived in CT from Coamo, Puerto Rico in 1953, married his wife Ana Bordado in Brooklyn, NY in 1955, and settled in New Haven. Between 1953-1956, Rafael was employed at Arnold’s Foundry, and Victor’s Foundry, in Guilford, He worked at Winchester Repeating Arms in New Haven in 1956 as a machine operator and worked there until 1965. He was employed as a Foreman for the City of New Haven Department of Public Works in the Fall of 1965. He retired in 1998 as Senior Foreman after more than 32 years of service. Rafael also enjoyed being involved in local civic organizations during his lifetime and even became the founding member to several of them which still exist today. In the mid to late 1950’s, he organized the first-ever Spanish-American Voter Registration in New Haven, he founded the first Puerto Rican Democratic Club, the Puerto Rican Baseball League of New Haven, became one of the co-founders of the Latin Council of New Haven, and became the Vice President of the newly formed Puerto Rican Civic League of New Haven. In the 1960’s, Rafael continued his community service to New Haven by co-founding Junta for Progressive Action, co-founding and becoming the 1st Vice President of the Spanish-American Club, co-organizer and later 1st Vice President to the Board of Directors of the Wooster Square Friendship Houses Cooperative, and assistant coordinator for the 1st Hispanic Radio Station, WCDQ, in New Haven. In the 1970’s, Rafael went on to become the founder and 1st President of the Puerto Rican Softball League in New Haven, became a regular columnist and part-time journalist for the first local Spanish-language newspaper in New Haven, La Gaceta Hispana, and also founded and became a lifetime member of the Coamo Social Club. Well into the 1980’s, 1990’s, and even into the 21st century, Rafael continued to be active in the New Haven community. He accomplished so much that a testimonial dinner was held in his honor in 1972 for his service to the Latin community. He was publicly recognized by way of awards in 1985, by the Puerto Rican Softball League, in 1994 by the Vocero Spanish-language newspaper, and in 1996 by the Flechas Fiesta de Loiza Aldea, all for the various contributions that Rafael provided to the Hispanic community of New Haven. In September 2012, Junta for Progressive Action held a testimonial dinner in his honor for the more than 50 years that Rafael gave in bettering the Hispanic community as well as for being one of the founding fathers of their organization. The following weekend, he was presented the Gold Star Award at the Mary Wade Home for his many contributions to the community and the City of New Haven. This culminated in the City of New Haven naming the corner of Grand Avenue and Artizan Street as the “Rafael A. Melendez Corner” in honor of his lifelong service to the community of New Haven on September 29, 2012. Rafael was also known for having worked in other capacities aside from the DPW and the civic organizations that he had a passion for. For several years, he worked as a Justice of the Peace, was licensed as a Notary Public, worked as a volunteer probation officer for the CT Department of Probation, as well as an Usher at the Bell Funeral Home. Rafael was the first Hispanic to take and pass the Civil Service test for the New Haven Police Department in 1958. He was also awarded 3 Citizen’s Awards of Meritorious Service from the New Haven Police Department. He has received numerous awards, citations, testimonials and recognition honoring his service to the community. Rafael and his wife Ana had just celebrated 60 years of marriage and he is survived by wife Ana, 4 children; Rafael Melendez Jr. retired NHPWD, wife Frances, daughter Maria Victoria USN-CDR-Retired, sons, Ariel Gilberto Melendez, retired Assistant Chief NHPD, wife Elizabeth, and son, Rolando Melendez, wife Ann. Sisters Ramona Bivona, Carmen Alvarez, Maria Thompson, Angela Rodriguez, Emma Melendez. They have 9 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Predeceased by brother, Hermes Melendez, sister, Carmen Lydia Melendez and granddaughter, Jessica Melendez. Rafael loved baseball, especially the New York Yankees and New York Mets, was an active participant in the Intercambio Deportivo Softball Tournaments in New Haven, was an avid reader, and loved his family. Visiting hours will be Wednesday from 3-8pm at the IOVANNE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 11 Wooster Pl. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday morning in St. Michael’s Church at 10. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. Sign Rafael’s guest book online at www.iovanne.com.