Longtime local restaurateur Emelda (Mel) A. Bartell of Wayland died peacefully Saturday Oct. 10. She was 87.Mel was born in Chicago to Joseph and Ann Kotarski. She married Thomas H. Bartell and moved to Wayland in the late 1950s. As a business owner, Mel owned and operated several successful restaurants including Bartell’s Restaurant, Thornapple Kitchen, Mel’s Diner, Jolly Bar & Grille and Daisy Maes.
Her hobbies included amassing a large collection of books, trips to the casino and spoiling her cat, Meow.
Mel is survived by sons John Bartell and Tony Bartell, daughter Sara Sexton (Bruce) and stepson Michael Bartell (Doris); grandchildren Michelle Arendsen, Jeremy Ballard, Nicholas Sexton, Emily Lenard (Ben), Colleen Bartell, Jackleen Bartell and John T. Bartell; great-grandchildren Austin (Xandria) Wooten, Aubree Wooten, Ryan Arendsen Evelyn Boss, and Braelynn and McKinley Wooten.
She was predeceased by son Thomas W. Bartell and stepson Terry Bartell.
She was predeceased by son Thomas W. Bartell and stepson Terry Bartell.
Emelda will be cremated and interred at St Cyril & Methodius in Wayland.
Family and friends will gather for a graveside memorial, date yet to be determined.