Mildred Anne Melia
September 7, 1919 – February 5, 2020
Mildred Anne (Hrabik) Melia, age 100, of Oconomowoc, WI, formerly of Barrington, IL Omaha, NE and Gretna, NE, passed away peacefully at home in the company of her family on Tuesday, February 5, 2020. Mildred was born on September 7, 1919 in Houston, TX. Mildred married the love her life, George Cyril Melia, on November 29, 1941 in Omaha, Nebraska. She spent the first ten years of her married life raising her two beloved daughters and farming 320 acres in Gretna, NE.
Survivors include her brother, Richard Hrabik of Ralston, NE; two daughters, Barbara A (Duane) Whelan of Rocklin, CA, and Bernadette M (Robert) Dyer of Oconomowoc, WI; six grandchildren including: Scott D (Shirl) Whelan, Michelle T Whelan, Michael C Whelan, Robert A Dyer III, John B (Gina) Dyer, and Meg (Alan) Frazier; seven great-grandchildren: Emily Elizabeth Dyer, Brian Matthew Dyer, Brendan Michael Dyer, Brady Patrick Dyer, Kelly Whelan, Erin Whelan, and Amy Whelan.
Mildred is preceded in death by her husband, George C Melia; her parents James and Ruth Follmar Hrabik; and siblings: James, Ruth Rau, Evelyn Moody, Edward, Vernon, Donald, Sandra Ryder, and Kenneth.
Mildred graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a degree in Elementary Education and taught over 37 years in the Omaha Public School System including long terms at Rose Hill and Walnut Hill elementary schools. Additionally, she taught at the American School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Always active in her later years, she donated significant time and energy to the “Catchpenny Thrift Shop” and Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, IL. She was a world traveler who visited England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, The Irish Republic, France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Austria and mainland China. She enjoyed most of the last fifteen years of her life in the Wisconsin Door County Peninsula enjoying the evening sunsets watching hummingbirds, bald eagles, sailboats and ocean going trawlers and having a “Jack Daniels over ice” on her deck overlooking the body of water known as Green Bay.
MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: will be held Saturday, April 4, 2020, 10am, St. Gerald Catholic Church Lakeview Chapel (7857 Lakeview St. Ralston, Nebraska.)
3 Comments
I so fondly remember Mrs. Melia because she was my 5th and 7th grade teacher at Walnut Hill School. She was so good at her job, kind, gentle and very dedicated. She followed our lives post-grade school as she she also taught many of our brothers and sisters. We stayed in touch as a group and when we had milestone high school reunions, we planned an 8th grade reunion to coincide with it. Mrs. Melia and other teachers joined us several times, and we appreciated the fact that she stayed in touch with our lives, followed our careers and could see the product of her dedication and expertise. She is a person who made a distinct difference in our lives, treated us with respect and recognized our talents. As a result, many of flourished and we owe her a significant debt of gratitude for her persistence. She is someone we still talk about when when see each other and if there is a place in heaven for great teachers, that is where she belongs!
I knew her as our teacher at Rose Hill. I liked her, as did everyone. I am saddened. My sympathies to the family. The great ones we remember!
Barb and Bernie, ;your mom has lived a long, interesting and wonderful life. Many years have passed since our Omaha days but I am blessed to have known her and share your sorrow in her loss. Your folks and mine always enjoyed each others’ company. Aren’t we lucky to have had them in our lives! Sympathy and blessings, Jeanne
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