Anita Constance Ragone Mellor

Anita Constance Ragone Mellor 1899-1983

My mother’s mother, Anita Ragone was born in 1899 in the Bronx, New York City, daughter of Antonio and Filomena Ragone, immigrants from Polla, Italy. Antonio was a tailor, and he set up a successful tuxedo business on the first floor of their home. Anita graduated from high school as the United States was entering World War I. She volunteered with the Red Cross from 1917-1918. I remember her talking about rolling bandages, but the Red Cross likely made use of her secretarial skills, as well. Two of Anita’s brothers, Vincent and Richard Ragone, were serving in the US Army in France, and her future husband, Charles E. Mellor, also in the US Army, was training segregated Black troops in the South. Vincent was killed at the decisive second battle of the Somme, days before the end of the war. He was buried at the American Cemetery of the Somme in Bony, France. Richard came home wounded, gassed and shelled shocked. Charles and his troops came down with the Spanish flu, and didn't deploy overseas.