Kenneth Francis Melley

Devoted husband, father, grandfather, author, teacher, and life-long advocate for fairness and justice in the U.S. and around the globe, passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2019. Ken is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Lou (Smith) Melley, his children Mary Blissard, Susan Molinaro (Nicolas), Ken Melley, Jr. (Mary), Chuck Melley, (Helena) 14 grandchildren, and many, many nieces, nephews and friends. A first-generation Irish-American, Ken learned the value of family, hard work, political activism and commitment to social justice from his immigrant parents and five older siblings while growing up in Hartford, CT. Just out of college and newly married, Ken started as a science teacher at Windsor Public High School in Windsor, CT, where his bride, Mary Lou, taught Math. While there, Ken authored a high school science textbook. To make ends meet for his growing family when school was out of the summer, Ken worked in the local tool factory. Although he loved teaching, he was discouraged by the low salaries and working conditions of teachers at the time. So, he joined the local education association and became an advocate for teachers’ rights. By 1965, Melley’s efforts earned him a position with the Connecticut Education Association, where he helped pass one of the nation’s first statewide collective bargaining laws for teachers. Five years later, Ken moved to McLean, Virginia, having joined the staff of the National Education Association. Over the next 28 years, he was instrumental in helping it grow into one of the most prominent and influential unions in the country. He pioneered Uniserv, a network of 1,500 who represent NEA members, and then, as political director, led NEA’s first engagement in presidential politics, eventually overseeing Government Relations, Communications, Research and Human and Civil Rights. Ken worked with many US Presidents, Senators, Representatives and Governors over the years to help improve teaching and learning for all. Ken was also a charter board member of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, working alongside such high-profile leaders as former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Geraldine Ferraro, and Walter Mondale to help spread democracy around the globe, meeting with citizens and political leaders in many countries including Cambodia, the Philippines, Nigeria, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Nepal, Pakistan and South Korea. A deeply spiritual man, Ken was a member of PAX (Pilgrims After Christ) for over 40 years. PAX is a Catholic, Christian inclusive community committed to planning and celebrating meaningful liturgies, developing community and responding to the needs of our world in justice, as those needs are revealed to us in liturgy and community dialogue An accomplished athlete, Ken excelled at the collegiate level in baseball and basketball and often had no peer on the golf course, Ken remained involved in sports of all sorts throughout his life, attending games, cheering on his teams, amassing detailed collections of memorabilia and authoring The Anatomy of Baseball Nicknames. Ken leaves a legacy of love of family. He spent considerable time and effort counseling and supporting each of his relatives individually and making sure that the collective group remained close, including organizing of a trip by 52 relatives to meet their cousins in Ireland and see where his mother grew up Born on November 27, 1934, to William Melley and Kathleen Lineen (both deceased), Ken was predeceased by his five siblings, William J. Melley Jr, Edward Melley, Eileen Marks, Kathleen (Kay) Cunningham and John Melley. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pax Christi International (Paxchristi.net) or The Franciscan Mission Service (FranciscanMissionService.org)