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Merle Odette Melfi
October 19, 1924 - August 9, 2018

Merle Odette Melfi, 93, of Pensacola, Florida died peacefully on August 9, 2018 surrounded by her loving family.

Merle was born in Grand Isle, Louisiana to George Lemuel and Claudia Odette Miller. The family eventually moved to Pensacola where Merle graduated from Pensacola High School and worked at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Merle married and moved to Miami, Florida where she gave birth to four daughters: Sandra Burns (Jerry), Kathryn Spino (John), Charlene Ferguson, and Melissa Reber (TJ). She was blessed to be a stay-at-home Mom and raise her family in Miami and during several years when the family lived in Europe.

Merle began her work career with BellSouth while in Miami but transferred back to Pensacola to be closer to family. She retired from BellSouth after seventeen years but remained a member of the BellSouth Pioneers where she made and maintained lifelong friendships. Retirement allowed time to enjoy gardening, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Merle was the matriarch of our family: our Mother, Nana, and Big Nana. She was a strong, independent woman and her long and healthy life was filled with much love and happiness. Together we celebrated her 80th and 90th birthdays in a mountain-top cabin in Tennessee. God blessed us to be able to share decades of milestones including graduations, weddings, birthdays, sporting events, countless celebrations, and occasional heartbreaks. Merle was also blessed to have several nieces, nephews and other close family and friends who kept in touch and brought joy over her very long life.

Merle is preceded in death by her parents, brother George L. Miller, son-in-law Jerry D. Burns, and cherished grandson John L. Ferguson. In addition to her four daughters, she is survived by her brother, Ron Miller (Lisa), long-time friend “daughter #5” Lonnie Bishop, nine grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her honor to the Myrtle Grove Cemetery Fund, 1030 N. 57th Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32506.

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