Joseph "Joe" Mello Jr. Obituary

Joseph "Joe" Mello Jr., 87, of Fort Plain, NY, passed away on June 20, 2026, at St. Mary's Healthcare in Amsterdam, NY.

Joe grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts. After high school, he served in the U.S. Army in Okinawa, Japan, where he worked in security and communications.

Joe was a lifelong learner who earned a business degree and later completed a law degree through correspondence courses. He could often be found with a book in one hand and a notepad in the other, reading about history, politics, and current events.

Joe spent many years in quality control management at Beech-Nut before launching his own consulting business. Through his work, he helped individuals, organizations, and businesses secure grant funding and develop plans for growth throughout Herkimer, Montgomery, and Mohawk counties.

Giving back to his community was important to Joe. He served on the village planning board and the board of the Fort Plain Free Library and was a longtime member of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church.

Joe was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Michael Mello.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Irene Mello, and their children, Joseph Mello III and Gail Morgan. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Wendy Mello; his son-in-law, Gregory Morgan; his grandchildren, Natalie Mello, Erin Morgan, Renee Morgan, Justin Morgan; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church on Reid Street in Fort Plain, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. Burial at Fort Plain Cemetery will take place immediately afterward.

Arrangements are entrusted to Fort Plain Funeral Home, Fort Plain, NY.

Those wishing to honor Joe's memory may make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association at http://alz.org

Condolences may be shared on Joe's memorial page at houghtalingandhanley.com .