John F. Mele MD

Dr. John F. Mele

Altamont - Dr. John F. Mele, 93 passed away on July 18, 2023 surrounded by his loving family. John was predeceased by his wife, Carol L. Mele.

John is survived by his children, daughter, Suzannah J. Mele; son, John A. (AnnaRita) Mele; son, George J. Mele; Grandchildren, Maria Christina (Andre) Assmann; Jessica (Robert) Dittmer; Kyle Roche; Gianluca A. Mele; Arianna J. Mele; as well as four great grandchildren. John's is also survived by long time friends; Judy (Bob) Babiarz, Tom (Ginny) Tomasco, Tom (Carol) Hirchburg, and niece, Joanne (Erich) Gordon.

John was the son of the late Joseph and Josephine Mele who migrated from Italy to Hartford, Connecticut. John is the brother of Adelaide and Mary Mele.

John was born on November 9, 1930 in Hartford, Connecticut. John earned his high school diploma from Loomis Chaffee Prep School. He continued his education and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Chemistry and Physics, from the University of Connecticut. After graduation, John attended the University of Bologna Medical School, in Bologna Italy, on a full Scholarship and graduated in 1959. John completed his internship and residency at John Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Nephrology. John had a very successful and distinguished career practicing medicine. He was one of the first nephrologists in the country, working at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey. John met his beloved wife, Carol a dialysis nurse, at the hospital. In addition to working at the hospital, John had a successful private practice in Manasquan, New Jersey. While working at the hospital, Carol would help John run the practice. Because of John's success at setting up dialysis at Jersey Shore Medical Center, John was asked by the federal government to set up dialysis services in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. and the entire Caribbean region. He was doing peritoneal dialysis initially because that was all there was to offer to patients before dialysis machines were widespread. He was a professor of medicine and taught many medical students over the course of his career. Of the students that he taught, some became teachers and professors and imparted the knowledge John gave to countless other students who also graduated and cared for thousands of patients. John taught the medical students to come in early and have all the labs and pertinent clinical information ready for when he came into the hospital to do his rounds. "The best quote from Dr. Mele", Tom Tomasco a close personal friend and former student recalls, "If you can't get it done by walking you better start running." John and his wife Carol also set up the Dr. John and Carol Mele Scholarship Fund at the University of Connecticut. This endowment provides scholarships for students who wish to pursue undergraduate studies that would lead to becoming health care providers. This endowment, will enable John's legacy in medicine to stretch on for generations.

John enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. John was also an avid UCONN basketball fan. John along with Carol would attend many games at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut with their long time friends Tom and Carol Hirchburg. During the more successful year's John and Carol would attend NCAA tournaments around the country to support the men and women's basketball teams. John also enjoyed gardening and rooting for his favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees. John was also a dog lover and had many over the years.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated in St. Lucy/St. Bernadette Church, Altamont on Monday, July 31, 2023 at 12:00 pm. Friends are invited to visit with John's family on Monday, July 31, 2023 from 10:00 - 11:30 am in the Fredendall Funeral Home. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Glenmont, NY