Melanie A. Vandal

Melanie Ann Vandal left this Earth on March 28th, 2022, just two days shy of her 75th birthday.

Melanie was the love of her husband Leo’s life. She was a teacher, an artist, a Red Hat wearer, a fighter and an undisputed World’s Best Nana.

She overcame adversity in her life beating polio as a child and struggling for over 40 years to conquer rheumatoid arthritis. Despite many surgeries Melanie never gave up her fight.

Born March 30, 1947 in Brooklyn, NY she and her family moved to moved to Temple Terrace, FL in 1978 where she lived with the best set of neighbors she could have dreamed of until the day she passed.

Renowned in later years for her breaking NanaNews reports of all current events big, small and smaller, she was always one to strike up a conversation and never shy to speak her mind.

Nana was a crossword puzzle master and on the verge of becoming a Wordle wizard when the Lord took her home.

Melanie is survived by her devoted husband of 47 years, Leo; son Geoffrey, daughter-in-law Mindy and grandkids Tyson and Tori all of Tampa; her brother Michael Farnola who resides in San Francisco; and half-sisters Marie Kosachiner of Palm Coast, FL and Frances Tabeek of Middle Village, NY as well as a much loved extended family across the Northeast.

We will be receiving family and close friends on Friday, April 1st from 5-7pm at Blount & Curry Terrace Oaks Funeral Home at 12690 N 56th Street.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in her honor to the Arthritis Foundation at https://www.arthritis.org/donate

Thanks to each of you for your kind expressions of sympathy and for all who touched Melanie's life through the years. Her family and friendships were her greatest treasures.