Memorial to be held on Thursday for community activist Melilli
Conrad Melilli, owner of Santa Monica’s Custom Window Decor and a local political activist, died on July 5 at age 57 after a more than two-year battle with lymphoma.
Known for his friendly, outgoing nature and quick wit, Melilli’s neighborhood activism included membership Dogs, people still best security devices for mass transit in Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) and the Santa Monica Democratic Club, according to longtime friend Janet Gilbert.
He also spearheaded the creation of community organizations in Sunset Park and advocated for changes along Lincoln Boulevard, including cracking down on prostitution within motels on the street in the mid 1990s. Melilli also was interested in making Lincoln Boulevard a more neighborhood-friendly street, an initiative he was known for emphasizing in front of the Santa Monica City Council.
“Conrad epitomized a special Santa Monica breed — the committed and tenacious neighborhood activist,” said City Councilman Kevin McKeown, who has known Melilli for more than 10 years and worked with him as a member of SMRR. “I think all of us on the council knew Conrad personally and will feel the loss.”
Tuesday’s City Council was adjourned in honor of Melilli.
“He was very passionate about his work,” said Greg Amato, a friend of Melilli since their days at Santa Monica College in the early 1970s.
Melilli operated Custom Window Decor for the last 26 years and distinguished himself in the International Window Film Association, where he earned the status of a Hall of Fame member for solar control specialization.
Despite his cancer diagnosis and treatment, Melilli was still dedicated to his customers and changed the faces of many Santa Monica windows, according to friend and customer Jay Johnson.
And his community involvement stayed the same, as did his demeanor, according those who knew him.
“When he became ill, he unleashed the same passion that he had for community issues on his illness,” said City Councilman Richard Bloom, who knew Melilli for 15 years. “He left no stone unturned in search for a cure. He even did his own research on medications because he felt that his doctors were wrong. Every time I talked to him, he was universally upbeat.”
Bloom recalled a conversation that he and Melilli had a few weeks ago, when Melilli complimented the Santa Monica Police Department for its dealings with a store on Lincoln Boulevard that sells adult products.
“For Conrad, everything revolved around business and political activism,” said Johnson, laughing. “Those two things were the essence of Conrad — in addition to the dogs.”
Melilli’s beloved Doberman pinschers, named Joey and Takoma, were his two hobbies, and he played with them frequently. Melilli, who was not married and has no children, left his two dogs to his neighbors, complete with a monetary trust to ensure their future care. In addition, he allocated money from his estate for donations to various charities he deemed important.
Born and raised in San Fernando Valley, Melilli’s business had moved with him to three different locations in Santa Monica, two of them home-run. He lived on Centinela Avenue in the 1960s, where his business began in 1974. His store then moved to Main Street, and finally to its locale today on Ozone Street, which has been Melilli’s home and business headquarters for the past 12 years.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, July 14, at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, where he also will be interred.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 13, 2005. Read the original PDF.