Peter Anthony Melanese

PETER ANTHONY MELANESE (MILANESE) SR.
Peter Anthony Melanese Sr. (Pete) was born June 12, 1926 at Mercy Hospital in San Diego (Little Italy) to Andrew and Marguerita Milanese from Mazala Del-Vallo, Sicily, Italy and was called home to be with his Lord on April 17th, 2015.
Pete was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mary Ciaramitaro and brother Joseph. Peter is survived by his sister Eleanor, brother Andrew and nieces and nephews. Daughter Diane Wheelock (Jack), sons Peter Jr. and Mark (Alicia), five grandchildren (Christopher and Steven Wheelock) Michael, Marissa and Matthew Melanese and and one great grandson Benjamin Wheelock.
Peter loved his children and grandchildren and delighted in hearing from them and seeing them whenever they came to visit him. He enjoyed food brought to him by his son Peter and food prepared for him by his daughter Diane and son-in-law Jack. Paula's daughter Beth and husband Bob prepared Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner on several occasions as well as Peter's daughter and son-in-law Jack have also prepared Thanksgiving dinner for Peter in the past. Peter enjoyed sharing meals with his son Mark and his wife Alicia at their home.
Pete enjoyed baseball, softball, bowling and golf at which he excelled. Pete came within one strike of bowling a perfect 300 game. He also enjoyed watching tennis and golf on TV. Pete enjoyed looking at the ocean and viewing it from Paula's daughter's (Beth) and son-in-law Bob's deck at their home at Sunset Cliffs. He enjoyed attending many family gatherings at their home. Peter enjoyed reading the Bible in his later years and he completed reading the entire Bible. He reaffirmed his love of Christ on a daily basis praying often to his Lord.
He enjoyed golf so much that one day he preferred golf to eating. He came within 2 inches of making a
Double Eagle. He pitched softball for 20 years, playing for The Old Sons of Italy in America and won more
games than he lost. Peter enjoyed his music especially Mario Lanza, The three young Italian singers IL
VOLO. He loved his Lord and prayed often on behalf of family and friends.
Pete loved to cook, cooking was his passion especially Eggplant Parmesan and the folks he shared his food with often said it was the best they had ever eaten especially his Dentist who Pete thought the world of.
Pete was a very giving and thoughtful person who often shared his time and food with friends. He was very
good at what he did. He enjoyed telling jokes as he had a keen sense of humor.
At the young age of 7, he and his older brother Joe went out to sell newspapers rain or shine receiving 1-1/2 cents per paper to help the family. In the evening they took their homemade shoe shine boxes downtown to hustle shoe shines at 5 cents each. When Pete unexpectedly received 50 cents from a sailer for a shoeshine Pete thought he was the richest boy in San Diego and went right home and gave it to his mother and that 50 cents put a lot of food on the table for the family of seven.
In 1941 at 15 he worked for 25 cents an hour learning to paint cars for Jordan Packard and later became the head painter. Always a good son he gave his earnings to his mother for the family. Later Pete enjoyed
working with fish at People's Fish Co., San Diego Fish Co. and Sportsman's Seafood.
Pete regrets leaving good friends Pat and Dan Daniels, Charlie and Minnie Piro and especially Gerry Howe
and her five wonderful Girls to whom he was like a second father. During his last years his dearest friend
Paula Forrester was always there for him as his care giver staying by his side and meeting his needs 24/7.
Peter you are a good man. He was well-liked by all who knew him. Peter, you are loved and you will be
dearly missed.
A Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Cross Chapel on Friday April 24th at 12 noon. Internment will follow
at Holy Cross Grave site.