Joseph Mele

Joseph M. Mele, age 77, of Erie, passed away on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at Manchester Commons. He was born in Erie on October, 20, 1941, son of the late Gino and Rose Fasano Mele.

Joseph graduated from Academy High School in 1959, where for two years he was enrolled in the Junior ROTC program. Joseph then went on to serve our country in the U.S. Army from 1959 – 1967. Following his service, Joseph graduated from Penn State University and University of Massachusetts Amherst where he attained his doctorate in microbiology. He had also studied and spent part of his professional years at Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center.

Joseph was baptized from St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, had been a long time member of Sacred Heart Parish and most recently became a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Fairview.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Marie Penpek, Frances Logue, Lucy Spizarny, Angelina Alberico and Jean Hill.

Joseph is survived by his son, Jonathan Mele and his wife Denise Stott, grandchildren Ella Rose and Elvin Joseph Mele all of Garden City, NY;  along with his sisters, Virginia Browder and Carm Villella. Additionally many, many nieces and nephews as well as several good friends at the Anchor Inn and the Manchester Lodge.

Friends may call at the Burton Westlake Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 3801 West 26^th St. Erie, PA 16506 Friday, March 15, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. A funeral mass will then follow at Holy Cross Catholic Church 7100 West Ridge Road, Fairview, PA 16415 at 1:00 p.m. with Fr. Tom Tyler presiding. Burial will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers donations in honor of Joseph can be made to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation 269 Hanover St. Hanover, MA 02339.