Leda M. Melis

News Death Notice

MELIS, Leda M. age 82, passed away at Hoosier Village Healthcare Center in Indianapolis, IN on July 1, 2011. She was born in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, to Gen. Kyval de Cunha and Elisa (Beltrao) Medeiros. She earned degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering from the Polytechnic University of São Paulo (Brazil). Leda came to the U.S. in January 1953 where she attended graduate school to study mathematics at Louisiana State University. There she met engineering student William Melis of Rotterdam, Holland and they were married in 1955. They divorced in 1968. She became an American citizen in 1965. Leda began working as a caseworker for the Butler County Department of Children' Services and Butler County Department of Human Services in 1968, and retired in 1994. She is survived by two daughters, Lucy (Mark) Olson of San Antonio, TX, and Linda Maureen (Richard) Wakeland of Houston, TX; two sons, William (Nancy) R. Melis of Cleveland, OH and Robert (Laurie) F. Melis of Carmel, IN; seven grandchildren, Steven, Andrew, Jonathan, Michael, Zach, Rachel and Clark; two sisters, Dr. Lea (Manlio) M. Speranzini of Sao Paulo, S.P., Brazil, and Diva Andrade Lima of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; one brother, Edison (Sonia) B. Medeiros of Copacabana, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and many nephews, nieces, cousins and their children, all in Brazil. She was preceded in death by her parents, two half-sisters, Laura G. Medeiros and Zilna M. Guerreira, all of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a granddaughter, Christina Melis. Leda was a member of the Oxford Presbyterian Church and Oxford Senior Center. She loved to read, play cards, crochet, embroider and solve cryptograms. She was a generous and very intelligent woman, and will be missed by her family. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 10 am at the Oxford Presbyterian Church followed by a private garden service. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Oxford Senior Center, 922 Tollgate Dr., Oxford, OH 45056 or the Oxford Presbyterian Church, 101 N. Main St., Oxford, OH 45056. The Smith & Ogle Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be sent online to www.smithoglefuneralhome.com