Nicholas Mele

Nicholas J. Mele 1929 - 2010 PITTSFIELD Nicholas J. Mele, 81, of 34 Harryel St., died Sunday, Dec. 26, at Mt. Greylock Extended Care Facility , surrounded in the loving presence of his family. Born in Pittsfield on Nov. 19, 1929, he was the son of the late Jules and Catherine Arcuri Mele. He attended Pittsfield schools and was a 1947 graduate of Pittsfield High School, where he played baseball and was a varsity infielder for three years. Mr. Mele served in the Army from 1947 to 1949, and served in Korea as Army of Occupation, and attained rank of Sergeant. He enrolled at the University of Massachusetts from September 1949 to June 1951, and was drafted in the Marine Corps where he served from 1951 to 1953. Mr. Mele served in Korea with the 1st Marine Division and participated in action against enemy forces in West Central Korea. He attained the rank of sergeant. Mr. Mele started his career with the Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training on June 3, 1954, in the Pittsfield Office as a Senior Clerk Interviewer. Through Civil Service Exams, he was promoted to higher level interviewer positions. In May 1971 he was promoted to Manager of the Claims Office in North Adams. In December 1973, he was transferred to Pittsfield as the Employment Service Manager. In March 1975, he was transferred to North Adams as manager of the entire office, where he was responsible for Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service. In Ocober, 1977, he was promoted to Deputy Regional Director of the Western Region with headquarters in Springfield. Additionally, Mr. Mele held responsibility for offices in Palmer, Ware, Athol, Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Greenfield, Northampton, North Adams, Pittsfield, and Great Barrington, where he had to insure that all agency programs were implemented and accomplished. In October 1987, he was promoted to Regional Director of the Western Region and was responsible for the largest geographic area in the State from the Worcester line to the New York State border. His duties for all offices included personnel, budgeting and carrying out the agency mission. He retired Oct. 31, 1992, after a career of 38 years and 5 months. During the last 15 years, he commuted daily to Springfield and had an opportunity to be exposed to enormous management programs during his tenure. He was a former communicant of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church for many years and was a member of the Central Berkshire Holy Name Society. He was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church. Mr. Mele worked at the annual Mt. Carmel Church lawn party and bazaar for more than 50 years and helped start bingo with the Rev. Joseph Massaro in late 1973 and was the bookkeeper since the first bingo game on May 14, 1974. Additionally, Mr. Mele was a Lector and Commentator since the early 1970s. Mr. Mele was an ardent New York Yankees fan and was a season ticket holder of the Pittsfield Mets since their inception in Pittsfield. He was a member of the Italian American War Veterans Rev. William Contino C.S.S. Post 75 of Pittsfield. Mr. Mele was also a member of AARP and a member of Retired State, County and Municipal Employees Association. Mr. Mele was predeceased by his wife, the former Joan M. Dempsey, whom he married in North Adams on November 12, 1955. She died December 22, 1998. He leaves a son, William Mele, and his wife, Susie, of Masspee, and two daughters, Mary Shook and her husband, Peter, of Pittsfield, and Kathleen Mele and her husband, John Coffey, also of Pittsfield. He also leaves one sister, Philomena Superchi of Pittsfield; three grandchildren, Sara Collard of Boston, and Kaitlyn and Kevin Shook of Pittsfield, as well as his grand dogs, Brody, Luke, Winston, and Penelope. FUNERAL NOTICE: A Liturgy of Christian Burial for Nicholas J. Mele will be Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010, at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, celebrated by the Rev. Geoffrey J. Deeker, C.S.S. Burial will follow in the family plot at St. Joseph's Cemetery. Calling hours at the FLYNN & DAGNOLI-BENCIVENGA FUNERAL HOME, 5 Elm St., Pittsfield, MA 01201 will be Wednesday, Dec. 29, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Berkshire Humane Society in care of the funeral home.