Mallery "Mal" Mele's Obituary
Mallery “Mal” Mele, founder of Mele Printing, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at the age of 78.
A native of New Orleans, Mal moved to Covington in 1974 and became a leading businessman and familiar social figure in West St. Tammany through a variety of venues.
Mal delighted in every aspect of life and was widely appreciated for his endless energy and direct conversation. A Navy veteran and former co-owner of two popular French Quarter establishments, Harry’s Place and the Café Pontalba, Mal found his real business niche in printing. He founded both Molenaar/Mele Printing in New Orleans in 1970 and Mele Printing in Covington in 1985, now one of the top five commercial printers in Louisiana.
Mal joined The Exchange Club of West St. Tammany Parish as a charter member and earned an unprecedented five “Best of Show” awards as a leading member of the Greater New Orleans Bromeliad Society, the River Ridge Bromeliad Society and the Baton Rouge Bromeliad Society. The Exchange Club has instituted an annual lifetime service award to be named “The Mal Mele Award.”
A familiar figure at the Covington Farmer’s Market every weekend, Mal delighted in sharing wide-ranging conversations with passers-by and keeping track of the town’s latest political and economic happenings. Plant sales were secondary to great conversation and charitable involvement; he once gave almost 300 of his best plants to a church youth group to help fund the renovation of an abandoned gymnasium.
“I just needed something to fill up my time,” he once explained. “After years of raising plants, I saw one day in the newspaper that plant collectors from all over the Western Hemisphere were coming into New Orleans for a big tropical plant show. We loaded up a trailer and hauled a bunch down there. I tell you, we had no idea what we were doing, but we drove back across the Causeway with 16 blue ribbons and the Best of Show award.”
For 16 years before his death, he also claimed loyal and successful membership in Alcoholics Anonymous.
“My own ‘higher power’ made a difference in my life,” he said recently. “I can look back now and know that, because of Him, I made a difference for the better in a lot of other people’s lives as well.”
Mal was the grateful husband of Susan Michelle “Mich” Dubea Mele and the former husband of Carol Mele and Liz Mele. He was the much-loved father of Mallery Mele, Jr., (Tammy) and Lisa Mele McCollum (Mike). The son of Charles Matthew Mele and Claire Hacker Mele, both of New Orleans, Mal is also survived by one brother, Charles “Chuck” Mele; six grandchildren, Christina, Amanda, Morgan, Catherine, Mallery and Matthew; and two “adopted sons,” Edward Ramsey and Dwaine Payne.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 W. 21st Ave., Covington, LA 70433 on Saturday, June 9, at 12:00 noon with visitation on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. until service time.
Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations in memory of Mr. Mele to be made to the Exchange Club of West St. Tammany Parish or the Louisiana Chapter of the ALS Association.
What’s your fondest memory of Mallery?
What’s a lesson you learned from Mallery?
Share a story where Mallery's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Mallery you’ll never forget.
How did Mallery make you smile?