Fernando Melendez's Obituary
Fernando Melendez II (Fernando Melendez Blandy) 83, died on January 18, 2016 in San Diego with his wife and daughter at his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fernando Melendez I and Phyllis Blandy Melendez, a brother, Charles Maurice Melendez, a daughter, Rebecca Melendez, and his second wife, Susan Healy. He is survived by his wife, Danielle Norato-Melendez, daughters Katherine M. Giller (Paul), Winchester, VA, Monica P. Melendez, McLean, VA, and Ana Maria D’Amico (Arnold), Leesburg, VA, his son, Fernando Melendez III (Katharine Breuer), Vienna, VA, stepson Michael Norato (Charlene), Orlando, FL, granddaughters Alexandra Giller, Zoe Giller, and Hannah Norato, grandsons Brookes Giller, Graham Giller, Nicholas D’Amico, Jonathan D’Amico, and Matthew Norato, his beloved companion dog, Bush, and his former wife and mother of their children, Katherine Chrishon, as well as numerous cousins in Madrid, the Canary Islands and Madeira. Born in Madrid, Spain on December 22, 1932, Fernando came to the United States with his parents in 1952 when his father served as Spanish Naval Attaché at the Spanish Embassy in Washington, DC. He remained in the U.S. after his parents returned to Madrid and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He studied at Georgetown University, attended law school in Spain, and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a doctorate in psychology, after which he completed a post-doctoral fellowship in neuropsychology. He was ABPP certified in clinical neuropsychology, and regarded as a pioneer in the field. He was Director of the Adult Psychology Clinic at the University of Florida Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville, had a private practice in Fort Lauderdale, was on staff at the South Florida State Hospital and Director of Psychology at Highland Park General Hospital in Miami. In 1986, he moved to the San Diego area and opened a private practice. He was a member of the International Neuropsychological Society and the American Psychological Association. Fernando, my father, was a gifted man. He was fluent in three languages, was a voracious reader, a wordsmith and a brilliant writer, at one point ranking among the top 100 reviewers on Amazon. He was a scholar of art, music, literature, science and history and enjoyed theater and the performing arts, and, for a time, was a professional actor. He was a human “Google” before Google existed, and spoke with authority on nearly any subject. Fernando had a lifelong love of photography and, at one time, worked as a photographer in a studio. His knack for capturing character and personality in portraiture was remarkable, and his close-ups and landscapes could only be classified as art. He thought nothing of traveling hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles for a photo opportunity, and had an impressive collection of professional film and digital equipment. His creativity was not restricted to photography. His culinary skills were superb, he painted, and he wrote fiction. He never stopped learning, never stopped being interested, never stopped expanding his mind and his experience. Fernando loved the sea and everything about it. Fishing and boating were two of his greatest joys, and few things pleased him more than sharing those activities with his son. He lived most of his life near the ocean in warmer climates, and one of his mantras was, “Don’t ever put down roots where bougainvillea won’t!”. Much of his childhood was spent in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, and he was drawn to San Diego because of its similar climate. Fernando had a powerful, commanding presence. He was charismatic and charming, but could just as easily be intensely intimidating. He was a man of xtremes who lived his life exactly as he wanted, made no apologies and had few regrets. His intellect was genius and his wit razor sharp. He was a Spaniard through and through, yet was proud to have obtained U.S. citizenship. He loved his children, adored his grandchildren, and it delighted him to know that his legacy, his mark on the world, lives on in them. He had a profound impact on all who knew him and will be deeply missed by those of us who love him. He is unforgettable.Arrangements to scatter a portion of Fernando’s ashes at sea will be made at a later date, while the remainder will be placed in Columbia, SC, near his daughter, Rebecca. In lieu of flowers, please read a book, register to vote, or perform an act of kindness in Fernando’s memory.
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