Lucia Grace Conte Melham

Lucia Grace Conte Melham died peacefully Thursday, August 22, 2019, at her Lemoyne home. She was blessed with a happy and extraordinary life of 108 years, spanning the administrations of 19 U.S. Presidents and witnessing the incredible sweep of history, events, and technologies.

Born December 19, 1910 in Iron Mountain, MI, Lucia was the second of nine children of Antonio and Maria Conte. Graduating from high school in 1929, she completed secretarial school in Milwaukee, and ultimately became assistant to the president of the Telegraph & Telephone Co. With the advent of WW II, her section was assigned to the War Production Board in Chicago. In late 1943 she met Thomas W. Melham, manager at Prudential Insurance and a lifelong Shriner. They married in early 1944 and began their family in Whitefish Bay, but in 1953, with Tom’s promotion to head Prudential’s Manhattan office, they moved to Northport, Long Island, NY. Lucia’s skills in that pre-email age greatly assisted her husband’s home office and his work for the Shrine Hospitals over many years. Lucia also ran their 7-acre azalea nursery until Tom’s passing in 1988, bringing her to Lemoyne to be closer to her two sons’ families, and retirement.

She is survived by sons John Melham (wife Linda) of Mechanicsburg, and Thomas Melham Jr. of Washington, D.C.; by sister Virginia Blair of Chanhassen, MN; by stepdaughter, Mary Lou Jaeger of Eagle River, WI; by four grandchildren, Jason Melham (Nanette), Lisa Melham Trogner (Curt), Timothy Melham, and Mark Melham, and by four great-grandchildren.

Retaining her NY exposure to the arts, theatre, and opera, Lucia avidly followed science, history and nature media up to her last month. Fundamental to her happiness in life was always family and friends, and rendering maternal love and guidance. She will be missed by all that knew her.

Visitation will be held 10 to 11 A.M. on Wednesday, August 28, followed immediately by a memorial service officiated by the Rev. Samuel Dubois. Interment alongside her husband will occur on a later date at Wisconsin Memorial Park, Brookfield, WI.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Shriner’s Hospitals for Children (https://donate.lovetotherescue.org), 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607. For directions or to send messages of condolence, please visit www.parthemore.com.