Carmela J. Villane

Carmela Julietta “Mella” Villane (née Grasso) passed at her family’s home on March 30th in Albuquerque, NM at the age of 82. When Mella was born on November 24, 1933, in New Hampshire, her father, Joseph Grasso, was 44 and her mother, Susie Grasso, was 26. She married Gerald A Villane on August 2, 1958, in Milford, New Hampshire, they divorced in 1985. They had three children during their marriage. Mella is survived by her three children and their families; Mike and Cheryl Villane of Corinth, Texas their three children Aimee Villane, Valerie and her husband Ruben Garcia and Jeff Sill; Susan Linhart and her husband Mac and their two children Alex and Luke; Scott with his wife Candy Villane in Albuquerque, with their three children Cheyanne, Levi and Cylie. She had one brother, Salvatore J Grasso who preceded Mella on November 4, 2014, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Mella graduated from Milford High School in 1951. She took several continuing education classes at Central New Mexico Community College and the University of New Mexico, during her tenure with Albuquerque Public Schools of 23 ½ years. Mella developed a deep sense of independence after her divorce, and worked a second job at Citicorp for the better part of almost two decades. Mella was a kind, people pleasing and down-to-earth person, who had made many friends over the years. Mostly the family is thankful for the calls, visitations and sentiment, prayers and support during her recurrence of Lymphoma, after a fortunate 12 years of remission. A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on April 16, 2016 at 10:00 am in St. Patrick’s Church, 34 Amherst Street, Milford. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery, Milford. The family asks that in lieu of flowers; please send donations to Children’s Cancer Fund of New Mexico at 112 14th Street SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 or http://www.ccfnm.org/donate-5.