Obituary of Melissa Cartano

LAKE WATEREE – Funeral service for Melissa Cartano, 76, will be held on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home.  The family will receive friends following the service at the funeral home until 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Kershaw County Humane Society, 128 Black River Rd, Camden, S.C. 29020.

Mrs. Cartano passed away on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, after a year battle with cancer.  Born in 1943 in Alexandria, Va., she was the daughter of the late Ralph and Connie Lindsay. A top student at Mount Vernon H.S., she loved art and Latin classes and glee club. She was very active in church work and received “Outstanding Young Woman” award at the 1963 Southern Baptist Convention.

Melissa married Edward Martin, moved to Maryland and attended Prince George College. She became a community leader, Campfire Girls, PTA, Bowie Business Association, and received “Outstanding Young Woman” from Bowie Jaycees.

Melissa stayed active in political and civic affairs. She was a gifted writer, speaker, and organizer. In 1977, she received the Prince George County and Maryland State Republican “Woman of the Year” awards. She later became chairman of both Prince George and Montgomery County Republican Central Committees. She worked for Prince George Economic Development, Sheraton Hotel, TVI Corporation, and HJK&A Advertising.

She married Larry Cartano in 1982 and moved to Rockville, became a regular on Blair Lee’s political tv program. Blessed with a keen mind and great sense of humor, Melissa was a piano player, charcoal artist, poet, wordsmith, and a great friend to many.

Surviving is her husband, Larry Cartano; children, Deborah Henle, Jennifer Fischer and Carl Martin; 5 grandchildren.