Carmela Meilak

March 18, 1933 – August 5, 2026

Carmela Meilak, devoted wife of the late Paul Meilak, dear mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister, passed away peacefully on August 5, 2026, in Mission Viejo, California, at the age of 93.

Born Carmela Buttigieg on the small island of Gozo in Malta, she grew up very sheltered in a small village where everyone knew everyone else’s business and where your family nickname identified you as coming from a good or bad family. Raised in a strong Catholic tradition, she prayed constantly and never wavered in her faith her entire life. As a young girl, Carmela lived through the horror of World War II, when the Italians and Germans bombed Malta relentlessly. During that time, she learned to live frugally and be content with what she had.

Carmela never planned to leave her little island of Gozo. In 1955, she caught Paul’s eye, and after family approval, they were wed in August 1955. Paul decided to emigrate to America in search of a better life, since jobs were few in Malta at that time. He worked several jobs around the U.S. before settling in with Ford Motor Company in Southern California. In July 1956, Carmela reluctantly came to America, as she was sad to leave her dear family and friends in Gozo, and fearful of living in a very different country and speaking a new language.

Buying a very small house in South Gate, California, Paul and Carmen (as she was known in America) began family life and welcomed their three children, Mary, Francine and Joe. During that time when she was feeling isolated, she was befriended by an older Maltese woman named Catherine. Carmela was grateful to have someone nearby to give her motherly advice and speak with in Maltese.

In 1965, Paul and Carmen moved to Westminster, California. Although they came to America with very little, they worked hard and were careful with their money, living a good and comfortable life. Carmela taught her children to be neat, clean, frugal, kind and caring, always providing a strong example of her Catholic faith. She loved her family very much and was a good homemaker. The house was always clean, and cooking for her family was very important to her. She always preferred her own cooking to others. She loved to knit and made many articles of clothing over the years, including baby blankets and slippers for the children. She was also an excellent seamstress and could sew almost anything. Carmen was very good at keeping in touch with family and friends far and wide, and she updated the family with the latest news.

In 1987, Paul and Carmen moved to Rancho Santa Margarita, where they lived for 16 years. There they made new friends and stayed close to their children and grandchildren who all lived in Orange County. In 2003 they decided to move to Anthem, Arizona, after Francine and her family moved there. She was always happy when family and friends came to visit. Paul passed away in late 2019, and after a few years of living alone, Carmen decided to return to California to be near Joe. Although she didn’t travel much, Carmen still kept in touch with many people across the globe via phone calls and letters.

Carmela lived a long life, outliving most of her family and friends. She is survived by her children, Mary Ferris, Francine Fabretti, and Joe Meilak, their spouses, her grandchildren, Daniel, Victoria, Kevin, Nick and Rachel, and her great grandchildren, Beckett, Averly, Lorelei, Oliver and Quinn. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.