WelcomeEveryone

It’s the

Joe Show

Katy Mello Metcalf Posted:Hey Everyone!

I'm hoping to surprise my dad w/ a get together next year. He loved each and every one of you like you were his own kid and would love to see you all again.

The Group “Joe Mello Was My

Softball Coach”was formed

On August 27, 2011 at 7:09pm

Thus Began Our Trip Down

Katy Mello Metcalf A continuous slide show...

I really want it to be VERY casual and just lots of fun.

Dad is definitely going to cry...

Oh!MY WORD!!How Flipping Fabulous!!!What a BEAUTIFUL thing you all are doing! He is so incredibly blessed! I love it! :-) What a way to honor him!

Kim Peoples Gamble

Mary Hubley HeathJoe was such a HUGE part of my softball

upbringing! :-) A reunion is a great idea!

Maude Clapper Johnson I love this. I am so excited for this

very special occasion.

We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do...

We've Got Spirit How 'Bout You?

Who Is This Joe

We are here To Honor

Parents Joao and Laura Mello

Born On February 24, 1946

On the Island of São Miguel in the Azores

In the City of Ponta Delgada(500 miles off the coast of Portugal)

de-mann jean-pierre caldeira-velhaHot waterfalls

Ilha de São Miguel

Sete Cidades Twin Lakes

Ponta Delgada, the capital city of the Azores,

on São Miguel Island

Joe came over to the US when he was 7.

Three months after his father died of gangrene

His mother traveled across the Atlantic with Joe and 7 brothers and sisters,

settling in Portsmouth, RI.

Just Arrived In PortsmouthIn front of the house they were to live in

which did not have an bathroom

Joe is in the striped suit sitting down.

Joe learned to speak English

watching

He had a full time job, 7 days a week at age 7

Picking potatoes from June-November.

In the winter he worked bagging potatoes, in addition to going to

school.

Katy said “That she has Never seen him eat a potato”

Joe Cool

JOE SCHOOL

He Started In San Antonio.

In June of '63 He was Stationed at McCoy in Orlando.

Oddly Enough, Mitch McLain was Stationed There at The Same Time, But They Didn't Know Each Other

The Day He Turned 17, He Enlisted In The Air Force.

He met Ellen Louise Birnhak @ the USO Dances at the Orlando Air

Force Base.

Joe and Ellen married on March 20

(first day of spring) 1965.

Family Dinner

Your Lovely Wife Of 47 Years

The Couple became a Family When Katy came along in 1969.

Katy’s Family At Jimmy's Wedding

Diamond Dolls Bat Girls

1988-1989

Four Years Later 1973

Dannye joined the fray

Dannye’s Family At Jimmy's Wedding

Minus Chynna

Jimmy aka Shonoff

Mello

Jimmy completes the crew in 1976

Enjoy Life

Time Flies

Can You Hear The Seventies

Look At Them Shorts

Joe Mello

Bert Luke

Party’s At The Mellos

He left the service in '67 (21 yrs old) went to work for Martin Marietta for 4 years. He then went to work with his Father-in-law at Quality Plating. He was working @ both places for about 2 years. He stayed with and ran Quality Plating until 1996.

Quailty Plating601 N Orange Blossom Trl

Orlando, FL 32805

Martin Marietta Corp.in Orlando, Florida

Quality Plating

(407) 843-1140

1977-Asst. Coach to The Frazier's

All American Pool and Patio

1978 Manager for his own team

Sambo's

1978 All-Stars

1980-81 Travel Ball

Conway Streakers

1982-84 Conway Jr. High Asst. to Betty Watckins

LoveBugs

1985-90 Boone HS Asst. Coach to Wayne Rickman

Stingrays

Winning……

He sort of retired...

Working at Cypress Creek Golf Course for 8 yearsThen at Eagle Creek Golf Course for 7 years

The 18-hole "Cypress Creek" course at the Cypress Creek Country Club facility in Orlando, Florida features 7,014 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72 . The course rating is 73.6 and it has a slope rating of 126. Designed by Lloyd Clifton, ASGCA, the Cypress Creek golf course opened in 1970.

Eagle Creek Golf Club is an 18-hole, 7198-yard Par 73 championship Orlando golf course that opened to rave reviews. Orlando's Eagle Creek golf course was designed by world renowned golf course architects Ron Garl of the U.S. and Howard Swan of Europe, Eagle Creek features five Par 5's, five sets of tees and over 90 bunkers and dramatic bulkheads that are reminiscent of those found in Scotland and England.

Adam 12, Andrew 3, Mikkel 3 and Chynna 1

What is Joe up to now

Grandchildren

“Vavu” which is Portuguese for Grandfather

Has Lots of Games In His Future

Dannye’s Gift To Vavu,“A Baby Girl To Spoil!”

The day we met Chynna That is her In the front

Family Time Is What Life Is All About

Safe In Vavu Hands

Making memories with Vavu

Nothing Like Family

Times that

Awesome

make life…

Honestly, I NEVER knew we were poor until I went to college. He was always so giving and generous with his time.

My dad has the biggest heart of any one you will ever find. Our home was always open to those who needed a bed to sleep in. He helps family and elderly neighbors mow their yards, and would give anything to help out his kids, nieces and nephews.

Katy

We really do have the best parents a kid could

have and I feel very blessed to have them not

only as parents, but as really good friends!!

He's the best dad a girl could have and

has always been half of the rock in my life

(mom of course being the other half). Dan

nye

To an incredible Uncle and the most influential man in my life. You always provided me sound advice and showed me what a true father was all about. I appreciate everything you have done for me and my family and want to thank-you for just being you.

Love you so very much, Troy

Hey Joe!Wish that we could be there for your celebration. It's been great going over the pictures of past teams that you coached, it brings back a lot of great memories.

Don't know if we've ever said thanks, but good coaches are hard to find and you are one of the BEST! With Love, Mary Ann and Dick Hubley

Debbie Loveless Tell your Dad that he means so much to me. He

helped instill a sense of good sportsmanship that I have carried throughout my life. I consider myself very lucky to have had him as my coach!

Cindy SlaughterJoe and Ellen, I had the best time

being around ya'll...and playin' ball...and especially that party you had...IT WAS A BLAST! I miss ya'll

and hope you have a great time at the Reunion! Love ya!

If it wasn't for Conway Softball a lot of us would have never met. I know for a fact that being a part of it changed my life in many ways. One major thing that Joe Mello, Richard and Bobbie Jo taught us is to have respect and pride in ourselves first. Without believing in yourself, you sure couldn't beleive in your fellow team mates.

And one of Joe Mello's favorite saying to us older ones is, Winning isn't everything, but losing sucks.

Kathryn Crawford NattierMy favorite memory is actually of Ellen. I was always

compared to my sister (Whom I still brag about, she was an amazing athlete) and I would never meet the expectations, but (as I remember it),

Ellen once said, "She doesn't need to hit like Joy. Kat can run like a rabbit, If she hits it, she will get on base."

It really let me know I had my own talents.

Hey Akers who do you

love?

Thanks For Being You

XOXO

Love Me Some Joe and Ellen

The hardships that Joe endured in his life have been enough to make anyone have a negative outlook but not Joe

He was always willing to listen, help and just be there

He gave us a place to feel safe to be yourself He just saw you for you

Joe,

Just wanted to share with you how you have

impacted my life through the years.

You took me in and showed me all I needed to know

about softball. Then you let me into the “softball family.”

This became a sport that I fell in love with. Not sure if it

was because you really liked me or because I was a “Katie”

like your “Katy”(J/K). Softball became something that

would be a part of my life forever.

Had it not been for you and your training, I wouldn’t

have been able to receive a FREE college education. I even

use some of your tactics when I am coaching the school

team where I teach Physical Education.

Most importantly, you showed true leadership and

friendship after I gave birth to my son Josh when I was 17. I

remember you taking such an interest in him. The support

you gave me during this transition in my life is something I

hope to be able to give to someone one day. This was a

HUGE impact in my life. I share this with my children, my

students and players and will never forget the love you

have shown to me in so many different ways.

Thank you for who you are. Thank you for what you

have done for me and many others. Your impact in my life

will be with me always.

With love,

Katie (Deming) TouchtonKatie TouchtonHillcrest Middle SchoolPhysical Education Department

Joe, I spent so much time with you and your family growing up. And like so many other girls, I grew up on the softball field with friends, family and JoeJ I think you have a super power. You had this ability to be able to pull a girl aside and say just what we needed to hear to either snap back, get focused or just get beyond what was throwing us off our game. You were supportive, patient and stern when you needed to be. Thank you for all of the afternoon school practices, weeknight league games, and weekend tournaments. All those years of softball has had a part in who I am today. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for letting me be a part of this even though I won’t be thereJ Lori SullivanInventory Control BuyerBallard Designs, Inc.

Gosh, I almost forgot….I was Lori Eubank thenJ Sorry about that.

Now Some Pictures from The Past

Let’s Enjoy Each OtherLet’s Catch Up