Stella Melneciuc

Stella Melneciuc, 77, of Lehigh Acres died Wednesday November 4, 2009. She had lived in Lehigh for 29 years. She was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and was the daughter of the late Andrew and Mary Baron. Growing up, Stella enjoyed singing in the St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church choir.

After getting married, Malneciuc moved to Burlington, Ontario, Canada where she lived for more than 30 years with her husband, Nicholas Melneciuc. She was involved in raising her two children in Burlington before moving to Lehigh Acres.

Melnecius volunteered for years with Lehigh Community Services. She enjoyed doing ceramics in her spare time. She was an artist and painter and took great pride in decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs. An avid gardener, hers summer gardens in Canada were reminiscent of beautiful botanical gardens.

She loved to entertain and was a gourmet cook always making the holidays special and inviting family and friends into her home.

Melneciuc is survived by her husband of 58 years, Nicholas Melneciuc, a daughter, Tracey Dodrill of Scottsdale, Ariz., and a son, Perry Melneciuc and his wife Kellee, of Braselton, Ga.

She is resting in the Cremation Garden at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens.

The family has suggested that memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association.