Amelia Mary Menchetti

Amelia Mary Menchetti died on October 26, 2014 at Longhorn Village Health Center in Austin, Texas. Amelia was born March 15, 1922 in Hamden, Connecticut. She was the oldest daughter of Frank and Rosina Bartoli Menchetti, and one of eight children in a first-generation Italian family.

After high school, Amelia graduated from Business College and attended Hunter College. She then enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the 2nd World War and served as a cryptographer, working to decipher Japanese codes. Her Navy service gave her much pride. When traveling back to Connecticut after discharge, she and a friend stopped in Austin. She liked it so much that she decided to stay. Thus, she began 60+ years of living in the capital city of Texas, except for a short time away.

When arriving in Austin in 1946, Amelia took a position as a secretary with the Bureau of Laboratories in the Texas State Health Department. With multiple promotions and job reassignments, she moved to the Department’s Chronic Disease, Cancer, and Heart Disease Programs. She was a key figure in the development and growth of the Cancer Registry in Texas, ultimately advancing to become its Division Director.

Amelia was frequently on the road surveying large and small hospitals in the state, providing guidance to physicians and other staff. She wrote grant proposals that succeeded in gaining approval for millions of federal and state dollars for cancer projects for the Department of Health. She testified before Congressional Committees about cancer detection and statistics, and spoke before the State Legislature and various legislative committees about cancer incidence in Texas. She served as a Consultant on cancer detection and statistics to the American College of Surgeons, making many speeches at various sites across the country. When she retired in 1985, she’d been a dedicated servant of the Texas State Health Department for almost 40 years, serving as a mentor and supporter of many young employees over that time.

Active in many professional groups, Amelia was widely recognized for her expertise and leadership in many national and state cancer-related organizations. She also contributed to significant published professional articles. On a local level, she was instrumental in establishing the Credit Union for State Employees and served as a Board Member for many years. She also was a long-time member and past president of a local Altrusa Service Club in Austin. She was an especially fervent believer in equal rights for women in employment situations and fought many battles over this.

On the personal side, Amelia was also interested in many activities. In her youth, she enjoyed playing the violin, golf, softball, tennis, and was a talented acrobatic dancer, performing at the Schubert Theatre in New Haven. Further, as an adult, she owned a houseboat on Lake Travis and generously entertained many weekend guests; she also became an avid fisherwoman.

In addition, she was a lover of all classical music, especially opera. She was a season ticket holder for performances of the San Antonio Opera and then, the Austin Lyric Opera, for the past 35 years. She attended performances until her health would no longer permit her to do and listened to opera music daily, including the moment of her last breath.

Amelia also followed University of Texas athletics closely since the 1940s. She never missed Longhorn football or Lady Longhorn basketball games as long as her health allowed. Besides enjoying playing golf herself, she followed the Lady Longhorn golf team. She also was a Dallas Cowboy fan.

As a gourmet cook and a most gracious hostess for many wonderful and exotic dinner parties, Amelia entertained her family and friends in fine style. She became a computer whiz, long before it was the in thing. She also was a stained glass artist, even designing her own pieces. As a masterful gardener, she loved working in her yard, enjoying butterflies and hummingbirds among her flowers. She learned to become an excellent photographer, proud of catching the flukes of whales off Hawaii, the lighthouses in Maine, and other highlights of her travels. And, Amelia doted on her two pet Schnauzers, Ubiquitous and Hilda Marie, until their deaths.

All who’ve known Amelia over the years will miss her smile, wonderful sense of humor, and generous nature. Her parents; sister, Estelle CoFrancesco; brothers Quido, Anthony, Nathan, Quinto, and Joseph; a favorite nephew, Frankie CoFrancesco; and her beloved godmother, Nina Ciochini, preceded her in death. One sister and her husband, Jeanne and Ralph Chieffo of North Haven, CT; a brother-in-law, four sisters-in-law; 17 nieces and nephews; and many friends survive her. She will also be sorely missed by two of her devoted friends, Barbara Petrosino and Marlene Weitzel.

Thank you to the wonderful staffs of Arden Court and Longhorn Village, and staff members of Hospice Austin. We are very appreciative of the care she has received over the years. In addition, we are extremely grateful to Paula Weisner, a loyal Hospice volunteer and gentle, loving friend, who has visited Amelia weekly for the past six+ years.

Amelia was a longtime member of St. Theresa Catholic Church at 4311 Small Drive in Austin. A Funeral Mass will be offered there by Msgr. William Brooks at 10 am on Friday, October 31. A reception will immediately follow at the church. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA with military honors, at a later date.

For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin, TX 78759.