Edward C. Mello, 72, Was Veteran, Educator
Edward C. Mello died on Saturday, May 25. Mr. Mello was born on
Sept. 28, 1929, on William street in Vineyard Haven. He was the son of
Agnes C. and Gabriel P. Mello. His early education, kindergarten through
seventh grade, was at the Tisbury School.
When the family moved to Fall River, he completed his secondary
education at B.M.C. Durfee High School in 1947. Upon graduation from
high school he joined the U.S. Navy, training initially at Great Lakes
Naval Training Center outside Chicago. His first assignment was to the
Naval Air Technical Training Center in Memphis, Tenn. He was honorably
discharged in 1950.
Shortly after his discharge, he was called back to active duty and
assigned to the admiral’s staff at Com One in Boston. It was while
working there that he received a recommendation to attend the Naval
Aviation Cadet Program. Mr. Mello’s priority at the time was his
education, so he declined the opportunity to attend.
Mr. Mello’s advanced education included course work from Harvard
University; he completed his degree at Emerson College in Boston. After
receiving his B.S. degree, his first challenge was teaching high school
English in Pensacola, Fla. The following year he taught at Nolan
Catholic High School in Fort Worth, Tex. He excelled as an English
teacher and as coach of the debate team. He led the debate team to a top
finish in the annual Texas Debate Tournament at North Texas State
University.
The following fall, he was offered a teaching fellowship to North
Texas State University, where he received his M.S. degree in public
address. Mr. Mello spent the next four years teaching at the State
University of New York at New Paltz. During his last year there, Mr.
Mello married and moved to Stratford, Conn. While living in Stratford,
he taught at the University of Bridgeport. He spent summers with his
wife traveling and enjoying time at their summer home on Block Island,
R.I.
In later years, Mr. Mello returned to New York to teach and
eventually retired as a full professor in 1991. After his retirement,
Mr. Mello was reluctant to enjoy the pleasures of Island winters, so he
wintered at his home in Naples, Fla., but always returned to the Island
in the summer.
Mr. Mello was a member of the American Speech Association, the
National Forensic League and the American Legion.
He is survived by his sister, Jean Flowers of Pensacola, Fla.,
brothers Richard Mello of Sutton, Vt., and Joseph Mello of Homer, Ark.,
as well as many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service was held on May 26 at the family lot in Oak
Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven. Full military honors were offered by
the Veterans of Martha’s Vineyard. Arrangements were under the care of
Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home.