Obituaries
David P. Talone
Co-owner of A. Talone Dry Cleaners
David P. Talone, co-owner of A. Talone Dry Cleaners in Ardmore, PA, died July 18
after a long battle with cancer.
At age 16, he began helping out at the drycleaning business that his
grandfather, Alphonso, had started in a converted barn behind his tailor shop
in Ardmore.
After graduation from Lower Merion High School, he continued to work in the
business while earning a bachelor
’s degree from Temple University. He also graduated from the National Institute
of Drycleaning.
He became a co-owner of the business with his sister, Eileen, and his cousin,
Andrew Talone.
He married his teenage sweetheart, Trisha Pentony, in 1981.
In 1987, he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and he had been on chemotherapy since the
cancer metastasized to his lungs eight years ago.
His interest in literature, music and friendships sustained him throughout his
illness.
“Dave loved the drycleaning business,” said his cousin, Andy Talone.
“He was a great spotter, and knew as much about draperies — cleaning, washing and re-hanging — as anyone.”
“One of his biggest frustrations when his lung cancer was discovered was that he
could no longer help out at the plant,
” he added.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters Bridget, Eileen and Mia;
two brothers, Jim and Tom; and sisters Eileen, Patricia and Marguerite.
Memorial donations may be made to The Suzanne Morgan Center at Ridgeland,
Chamounix Drive, West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia PA, 19131 or to Jefferson
Hospice, #400 One Radnor Corp. Center, 100 Matson Ford Road, Radnor, PA 19087.
Brian Melnick
Drycleaner, youth sports supporter
Brian Michael Melnick, 53, who ran a Silver Spring, MD, drycleaning business and
helped expand youth ice hockey in Montgomery County, died June 27 at Washington
Hospital Center. He had congestive heart failure from radiation he received
when he was 19 for treatment of Hodgkin's disease.
He was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in Chevy Chase, MD, graduating from
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. He lived in North Bethesda.
He was a partner with his father-in-law, Charles Weller, in Weller's Dry
Cleaners in Silver Spring. He worked there for 20 years before entering the
hospital in June.
He was also dedicated to helping youth hockey programs in the area, serving as
president for 12 years of the Montgomery Hockey Youth Association and as a
coach. The association is one of the largest programs in the Washington area
and on the East Coast.
He was also an golfer and belonged to the Indian Spring Country Club.
Survivors include his wife of 27 years, Robin Weller Melnick of North Bethesda;
two sons, Andrew Melnick and Gregory Melnick, both of North Bethesda; his
parents, Janice and Danny Melnick of Chevy Chase; and a sister, Cindy Michael
of Potomac.
