Kittery, ME - Phyllis A. Mellen, 91, died November 13, after a long illness.  She was born in North Jay, Maine, in 1929, and lived with her parents, the late Amy (Clark) Spaulding and Ray Spaulding, in New Vineyard, Maine, and then in Strong, Maine, until 1944, when the family moved to Kittery.  Phyllis graduated from Robert W. Traip Academy in 1946 and worked for both a law firm and a financial services company until marrying Franklin H. Mellen in 1951.  For much of her married life, she worked as a receptionist and bookkeeper for the Maine State Park and Recreation Commission.

Phyllis had many varied interests, the two most important being her family and her religion (she joined the Jehovah's Witnesses in the late 1960's and was an active member of that faith throughout her life).  Beyond these loves, she enjoyed knitting and sewing; growing flowering plants and bushes; shopping for small antiques and collectibles; all aspects of computer technology; and constant reading, especially novels.  Her love for her family, her laughter, and her seemingly girlish delight in many things will always be some of her kids' most treasured memories.

Phyllis is predeceased by her husband, Franklin H. Mellen, and is survived by Lisa Andreozzi and her husband, Anthony, of Delray Beach, FL, and York Beach, ME; Beth Martin of Pittsburg, KS; Ross Mellen of Kittery; Brian Mellen and his wife, Debra, of Richland, WA; Frank Mellen and his wife, Nancy, of Hingham, MA; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

At Phyllis's request, services will be private for family only.  Donations in her memory may be made to either the BrightFocus Foundation (macular degeneration), 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871 (brightfocus.org) or the American Cancer Society (donate3.cancer.org). Care of the Melen Family has been entrusted to the J S Pelkey and Son Funeral Home.