Raffaela 'Ella' Meach
Age 93
Raffaela 'Ella' (Benedetto) Meach, died Sunday May 25, 2008 in Ellicott City MD of pneumonia.
Born in Albany NY, she was the daughter of the late Marco and Bridget (Lanni) Benedetto. At age 16 she had to leave school and started her working life as a live-in housekeeper and nanny. In the early 1940's she began her career as a cook at O'Connor's Restaurant on State Street in Albany NY where she worked for 20 years. During a brief stay at the Troy Country Club she was celebrated on the restaurant menu for her "Mrs. Meach's Caesar Salad Dressing". During the last 15 years of her career she was chef and cafeteria manager at the Doane Stuart School and its predecessor St. Agnes School of Albany NY. She retired in 1980 after nearly 40 years as a chef/cook. In 1998 at age 83 she returned to school and achieved her life-long dream of obtaining her high school diploma.
For the last 16 months she has been living with her son and daughter-in-law, Donald and Catherine (Nitsky) Jones in Ellicott City MD where she was a communicant at The Church of the Resurrection. For the prior 10 years she resided in Guilderland NY and was a communicant at Christ the King Church.
Wife of the late William H. Meach, Donald N. Jones and Lynn T. Walters, she is also predeceased by two daughters Carol (Robert) Sommers and Joan (James) Howe, and a step-daughter Elizabeth (Charles) Hollner.
In addition to her son, she is survived by a sister Bridget (Anthony) Gensicki of Delmar NY, a brother Victor (Joan) Benedetto of Pensacola FL, 18 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, 9 step great grandchildren, 16 step great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Saturday 8:00am from New Comer Cannon Funeral Home 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie (Rt. 155 south of Central Ave.) then to Christ the King Church in Guilderland where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:00am.
Calling hours will be Friday from 4:00 to 8:00pm at the funeral home. The parish family of Christ the King will Gather at 4:30pm on Friday at the funeral home for a service of Prayer and Remembrance. All are welcome. Interment, St. Peter's Cemetery Troy, N.Y. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.NewcomerFamily.com.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in the memory of Raffaela may be made to the National Kidney Foundation or to the Arthritis Foundation Community Caregivers of Altamont, NY PO Box 523 Altamont NY 12009.