Sunday, May 5, 2024
Nelda May (Smith) Monteleone died February 11, 2024 …..peacefully in her sleep. She was met in heaven by her husband of 40 years, “Monte” Vito Anthony Monteleone, her parents, Walter and Idabelle (Kelly) Smith and her siblings, brothers Mike and Leonard Smith and Eloise Carr, and an infant daughter.
Nelda was born and raised up Peshastin Creek (Blewitt Pass) and moved to Seattle to pursue college. She met and married Monte there and returned to Peshastin where they stayed with her parents on the apple orchard until they decided to move to Chicago, where Monte was born and raised and his family lived.
They were blessed with three children, George Thomas “Tom” (Marylen) Franklin, TN, Walter Richard “Dick” (Cyndi) St. Peters, MO and Vita “Kay”, Chelan, WA.
Nelda worked for several years for Montgomery Wards Parts Center in Berkeley, IL and after retiring volunteered at St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Shop.
For years she walked four miles a day, bowled 3 times a week and did that until the age of 87. She would quilt, tat, crochet, knit and sew doll clothes for the grand kids. She was an avid reader, crossword puzzle enthusiast and loved to watch game shows and sports either on TV or in person, cheering on any one of the grand-kids or great grand-kids.
Nelda would tell you her best feature is her three kids, four grand-kids: Jason (Heather) Monteleone, Kansas City, MO, Melissa (Ben) Wright, Harrisburg, NC, Graham (Kayla) Monteleone and Samantha Dreyer of Chelan, WA, her 13 great grand-children: Blaze Dreyer, Riot, True, Lively and Daily Monteleone, Gabriel, Rylie and Henry Monteleone, Oliver and Jack Wright, and Nyla, Orlando and Natalya Rodriquez.
Nelda also left behind her additional “daughters”: Carolyn Hill, Nancy Swaffard, Ann Cooper, Lynne and Rebecca Glasspool, Kalissa Fagen, and Niki Pyle and her nieces, Marie (Tim)McJilton, Vita (Willie)Costa, Gene (Mike) McCleary and Susan Smith, nephews, Joe and George (Theirry)Costa.
Nelda would give and get hugs always and at times would grab your face in her hands and kiss you square on the mouth – whether she knew you or not. She was a great person and will be very dearly missed.
Services will be held for Nelda on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 11 AM at the Lake Chelan Lutheran Church.
Leave any thoughts and memories for the family at www.prechtrose.com. Services are entrusted to Precht Rose Chapel of Chelan.
