Melvin Eugene Ormonde

Mel was born on June 17th, 1944 in Laton, California. He was the beloved baby in his family, blessed with loving parents, Andrew and Josephine (Berberia) Ormonde, as well as 16 year old twin sisters, Lavina and Josephine, and an 18 year old brother, Andrew Jr. to love and guide him. As a child, Mel grew up surrounded by nieces and nephews he adored. He worked on his family’s farm and attended school in Laton until he graduated from Laton High School in 1962. He then went on to study at the College of the Sequoias while beginning his career with PG&E. In his early 20’s, Mel was drafted into the Army. At age 24, Mel met the love of his life, Sharlotte (Hunter) Ormonde while fishing on the Cayucos pier. He married her within a year and they soon started their family. Mel worked farming his family’s land in Riverdale, CA and as a troubleman for PG&E for 45 years in Fresno and Lemoore, CA while raising his family. On retiring from PG&E, Mel and Sharlotte moved from Lemoore to Pismo Beach, where they have lived and loved for the past 11 years.

Mel dedicated his life to serving others in all he did. He cherished the opportunity to help others that came with his career with PG&E as a troubleman. He loved coaching his children’s sports teams, leading church youth groups, and volunteering countless hours to Mary Immaculate Queen School and St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Lemoore. Mel served as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Peter’s Church and was a Knight of Columbus for 33 years serving the communities of Riverdale, Lemoore and Pismo Beach. He was also a Past Grand Master with Maximilian Kolbe Council 8762 in Pismo Beach and a Sir Knight with J.J. Mitty Assembly 78 in San Luis Obispo. He also enjoyed the many years he served on the Lemoore Planning Commission and the life-long friends he made there. Above all, Mel was a devoted husband, caring father, and adoring ‘Voo’ who showered his family with truly unconditional love.

At age 77, Mel courageously fought emphysema exacerbation for weeks before his death on September 17th, 2021 in Clovis, CA. He’s left his Earthly body to join his Heavenly Father in peace.

Mel is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sharlotte Ormonde; his son, Rocky, and his wife, Mandy, and son, Hunter; his daughter, Sharmel Kasten, and her husband, Brendan, and their children, Alex, Jacob, Ava, and Jackson; and his daughter, Shara Wilson, and her husband, Matthew, and their children, Luke and Zachary. He is also survived by his two older sisters, Lavina Avila and Josephine Rose, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members who love him dearly.

Mel never met a stranger. He had the rare ability to find and expect goodness in all he met and to forgive without hesitation. Mel cherished every moment with family and friends. He especially enjoyed the many years he spent repairing and racing midget race cars with his son at Lemoore Speedway. He was a talented chef, an avid hunter and fisherman, and had a fervent love for nature. He will forever be remembered as a loving and selfless man of God who lived only to give all he could to those he loved and to those who needed him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. Mel has left us a beautiful legacy of love and service to others to follow! A man like Mel is never really gone, for in each of our hearts his lessons will live on.

Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate Mel’s life in their own way - maybe a sopas feast, a crab feed dinner, a hunting or fishing trip, raising a glass of good old Portuguese wine in his honor, or whatever else your heart says Mel would have loved!

Instead of flowers, Mel would hope that you will do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for some poor unfortunate soul in his name. With this, his legacy of love and service to others will live on through us all!

Cremation will take place and his family will spread his ashes in the beautiful and wild Pacific Ocean that has forever been a part of his soul.

Mel’s Funeral Mass will be Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 12:00pm in St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Pismo Beach, CA. Mel’s Obituary, Picture, Messages and more can be posted on BoiceFuneralHome.com.

We are so thankful for your heartfelt expression of love to our family during this

truly difficult time.

THE ORMONDE FAMILY