Alfonse Mele

His love was always shown in the small things like his faith in people, his generous heart, his unwavering kindness and his strength

Alfonse J. Mele of Holyoke passed into eternal life on July 20, 2026 at the age of 72 after a long illness.

Al was born on March 18, 1954 into the loving, Italian-American home of his parents, Ralph S. Mele and Mary A. (Marra) Mele. He grew up in the beautiful, seaside town of Winthrop as the youngest of siblings Sal, Madeline and Marietta. Al graduated from Winthrop HIgh School in 1972 and from UMass Boston in 1976 where he studied Psychology and Religion.

He began his career working in Security at Winthrop Community Hospital and worked at many hospitals as director of Safety and Security ending his career with Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

Al met the love of his life, his wife. Linda and they shared a life of friendship, love, music and laughter for 30 years. Linda and Al’s home was filled with the warmth of his smile and laughter. His calm presence made even the most difficult days easier. He enjoyed weekend barbeques with family and friends, long bike rides from East Hampton to Amherst but his true passion was music. Al was a self-taught guitarist and would drive his mother crazy with the joyful sound of his electric guitar booming through the house. Al’s passion for music drove his need to practice and continually craft his skills as a guitarist and singer. His ability to improvise on his acoustic guitar was beautiful and unmatched. Linda loved to hear the sound of his guitar and voice echoing through their home to comfort and celebrate everything that words could not capture.

Uncle Al’s guitar was what made family Christmas and New Year’s celebrations so incredibly special and memorable for his wife, parents, aunts and uncles, brother and sisters, his seven nieces and eventually their families.

Al had a sharp intellect like his father and a dry, sometimes silly-sometimes dark sense of humor born of his intelligence and ability to observe, learn and engage with the world around him.

His love was always shown in the small things like his faith in people, his generous heart, his unwavering kindness and his strength. Linda recalls how his spirit, devotion, humor and warmth filled their home and his melody will always remain in her heart forever and in the hearts of his family and friends who will miss him every day.

Alfonse leaves his loving wife, Linda Mele of Holyoke and his step-son, Dennis F. Lyons, his step daughter, Carrie A. Sibilia, her husband, John Sibilia and their son. Samuel M. Sibilia.

He was the loving son of the late Ralph S. Mele and Mary A. Mele of Winthrop and the beloved brother of Salvatore Mele and his wife, Linda of Salem, NH, Madeline A. Keogh and her husband, Robert of Winthrop and Marietta DiGiovanni and her husband, Vincent of Westford; his seven heartbroken nieces and their families as well as many cousins and friends. Al adored his beloved fur babies, his cats, Romeo, Mateo and Jesse who gave him a lifetime of unconditional love.

A funeral mass for Alfonse will be celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Church (St. Michael the Archangel Parish), 320 Winthrop Street. Winthrop at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 29 and a celebration of his life will be held following the funeral mass at 11:30 a,m. at the Winthrop Arms Hotel and Restaurant at 130 Grovers Ave, Winthrop.