Rowena Lilly Melva Melville-Young, 88, of North Stonington died peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on June 30, 2021.
She was born on March 5, 1933 in Old Mystic, the 10th of 11 children and daughter of Robert A. B. and Eva Melville-Young. She attended Stonington High School and worked at Dux Products (Mystic) and the Mystic Color Lab. Her most memorable job was at the Mystic Seaport Mobile Hot Dog Stand. She enjoyed travelling with her sister, Arita Taylor, and brother, Eugene Melville-Young. She sewed all her daughters’ wedding gowns and cared and nurtured for her 7 children and her grandchildren and was an avid published photographer.
She is survived by her children: Leslie P. Bliven Jr., Gloria J. Westcott, Dennis C. Bliven, Vicky L. Totten, Rita M. Santacroce, Tina M. LaValley, and Herbert E. Bliven, their families including 21 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and her many nieces and nephews.
Her family will greet relatives and friends on Thursday July 8, 2021 from 4pm to 7pm at the Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Mystic. A funeral service will be conducted at the funeral home on Friday, July 9, at 10:00am with burial to follow in Elm Grove Cemetery, Mystic.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate in her memory to the North Stonington Congregational Church in support of local missions.
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