Francisco De Melo

Francisco Meneses De Melo passed away on April 18, 2021 in Merced, California. Francisco was born February 17, 1941 in Terceira, Azores, Portugal to Francisco Pereira de Melo and Adelide do Carmo Meneses.

Francisco was an employee for Beatrice Cheese before he became disabled with Guillain-Barre Syndrome for the last 20 years. He was affiliated with the Catholic Church, served in the Portuguese Military as a police guard, played music with the Banda de Musica de Filha Armonica da Vila Nova. Francisco was one of the first founders of the organization and he played the trumpet. In his younger years, he worked as a carpenter and also as a waiter for 24 years at the Unicio Club in the American Base at the Lajas Airport in Terceira, Azores. He loved his motorcycle, fishing and crabbing. He raised his own cattle and donated bulls for the Portuguese Festas of the Holy Ghost in Terceira, Azores, as well in Merced, California. Francisco also donated a young bull for the Festa of the Holy Ghost of Imperio das Criancas (The Childrens Empire). With that young bull they were able to make sopas for the Festa of the Divine Holy Spirit in Winnipeg, Canada.

Francisco is preceded in death by his wife, Maria Rita De Melo; parents, Francisco and Adelide De Melo and brother, Valdemar de Melo. He is survived by his children, Frank Melo, Lidia (Dan Joseph) Silveira and Mike Melo; his brother, Ivo Meneses Melo in Lisbon, Portugal; his sister, Maria Adelide Gaspar from Los Banos, California; his grandchildren, Ethan Joseph Silveira, Grace Lidia Silveira, Leanne Melo and Emilly Melo.

There will be a visitation for Francisco on Friday, May 7, 2021 at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home located at 1490 B Street, Merced, California from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A rosary will start at 6:30 pm. A Catholic Mass will be on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 9:00 am at St. Patricks Catholic Church, 617 E. Yosemite Ave, Merced, California. Interment will follow the mass at Turlock Memorial Park located at 425 N. Soderquist Rd, Turlock, California.

There will be a Facebook Live Streaming; in order to view please log into your Facebook account and in the search bar type Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home to access.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stratfordevansfunerals.com for the De Melo family.