Nick Ameli, Jr.

Bluewell and Bluefield lose an Outstanding Citizen and Community Leader

Nick Ameli, Jr., 84, of Bluewell, WV, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Monday, May 8, 2023, after a brief and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born in Welch, WV, to the late Nick Sr. and Mary Ameli, he was the youngest of three children.  The Amelis moved to Bluewell when Nick was 10 years old.  He was a graduate of Beaver High School, Class of 1956.  He went on to attend Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, IL and classes at Notre Dame University and was a graduate of American College in Bryn Mawr, PA.

A successful entrepreneur all of his life, Nick owned and operated numerous businesses.  Talented at working with his hands and eager to learn, he started working in high school helping his father lay tile in homes.  He could build, plumb and wire anything.  Nick donated the land for the Bluewell Volunteer Fire Department and with the help of his father constructed and founded the Bluewell Volunteer Fire Department.  With the guidance of an uncle, Nick learned to repair televisions and at age 15 he rode his bicycle to repair TVs for those who lived nearby and up many hollows.  He officially started Nicks Radio & TV which later became Nicks House of Color then becoming Nicks Inc., expanding to four retail locations in Princeton, Welch, Oceana and Bluefield.  He also had Nicks Kitchen Design Shop in Bluefield.  While operating the TV & appliance business he started the Bluewell TV Cable Company serving Bluewell, Brushfork, Montcalm and Bramwell later selling it to Comcast.  He also operated the Bluewell Post Office.  He and three of his friends purchased the Oceana Cemetery renaming it PALM Cemetery.  With other friends, he was involved in purchasing The Sheraton in Bluefield, WV which is now the Quality Inn.  Nick was also fundamental in establishing the Peoples Bank of Bluewell, now First Community Bank, serving on the Board of Directors.

Later in life he began a new career with New York Life Insurance Company.  With his eagerness to learn, he studied at the American College becoming a CLU, ChFC and REBC certified insurance agent and Eagle Strategies Financial Advisor.  Together with his wife Jeanne they became Ameli Financial Group, a trusted resource for insurance and financial planning for the past 37 years.  Due to his illness, he retired from New York Life on December 31, 2022.

Nick was dedicated to giving back to his community and spent countless hours fulfilling his civic duties.  He was an active member of the Bluewell Lions Club, The Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce, Bluewell Volunteer Fire Department, Mercer County Development Corporation, Mercer County Landlords Association, The United Way of the Virginias, The American Cancer Society, The Community Foundation of the Virginias, The Bluefield Sales Executive Club, Rotary Club of Bluefield, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the National Financial Advisors.  Nick was instrumental in forming the Coal Show and the Better Living Show at the Brushfork Armory.  Nick was recognized as an Outstanding Citizen of Bluewell by the House of Delegates of the WV Legislature. 

Known as the “Boss of the Sauce” Nick was famous for his homemade spaghetti sauce and was instrumental in the Sons of Italy Italian Heritage Festival in Bluefield, WV.   Proceeds of the festival went into the Sons of Italy Scholarship fund.  His hard work and dedication, along with the other members helped to award numerous scholarships to qualified high school and college students. He was also a member of the National Sons of Italy serving on many committees within the organization.

An avid golfer, Nick enjoyed and won many Fincastle Member Guest tournaments with his son.  He enjoyed fishing and took pleasure in fishing trips with great friends.  Nick loved baseball, he played catcher in high school and coached little league baseball.

In his spare time Nick and Jeanne loved to travel visiting all 50 states and many Countries.  Their travels included time spent with his father’s family and his cousins in Italy. 

Nick was preceded in death by his parents Nick Ameli, Sr. and Mary Piconi Ameli, his two sisters, Nancy Ameli and Christina Willis, Brother-In-Law, William “Bill” Willis all of Bluewell, WV; Son-In-Law, C.W. Havens of Bluefield, WV and Grandson William James “Trey” Froy, III of Surfside Beach, SC.

Nick is survived by his loving wife, the love of his life for the last 38 years, Jeanne; four children Daniel Ameli (Carrie) of Charleston, WV, Carol Havens, Barbara Willis and Deborah Froy (Jimmy) all of Buefield, WV; six grandchildren Catherine Ameli of Charleston, WV, Jessica Havens of Princeton, WV, Alexandra Ameli of Charlotte, NC, Christopher Havens (Peyton) of Princeton WV, Morgan Froy of Alexandria, VA and Antonio Froy of Bluefield, WV.  One Aunt, Esther Piconi of Princeton, WV.  Nieces Sandra Arczynski (John) of Falls Church, VA and Deanna Ridgeway (Dean) of Alexandria, VA and Nephew Vincent Willis (Ruth) of Concord, NC.  Great nieces, Shelby and Mary Lauren Willis of Charlotte, NC and Victoria Arczynski of Falls Church, VA and great nephews Andrew Willis of Charlotte, NC and Andrew Arczynski of Falls Church, VA.  Sister-in-Law and Brother-in-Law Barbara and Curtis Kiser of Alexandria, VA and Sister-in-Law Kathy Brooks Dillon of Charlotte, NC.

The family would like to give special thanks to the following: Joyce Sarver for 51 years of dedicated service to the Ameli family, most recently as Nick’s caregiver.  Employees Robin and Olivia Mays. Dr. Nancy Louhis and staff, the staff of WVU Ruby Memorial Hospital, the staff of Health South/Encompass Rehabilitation and the staff of Amedisys Hospice.

Cravens-Shires Funeral Home will serve the family.  The family will receive friends Friday, May 12, 2023 from 5:00pm until 8:00pm with a wake service at 7:30pm officiated by Fr. Sebastian Devasya. A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bluefield, WV on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 11:00am with entombment following at Woodlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Serving the family as pallbearers will be Vincent Willis, John Arczynski, Christopher Havens, Andrew Willis, Jimmy Froy, Antonio Froy, Kevin Crane and Skip Crane.

Honorary pallbearers are Norris Kantor, Dr. Lenny Horowitz, Dr. Walid Azzo, Jerry Lambert, Judge Omar Abolhouson, Quent Baria, Judge Don Mullins, Roger Mullins and Terry Rose. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Community Foundation of the Virginias where a scholarship fund is being created in Nick’s honor.  Donations can be sent to The Community Foundation of the Virginias, P.O. Box 4127, Bluefield, WV, 24701, Attention: The Nick Ameli Scholarship Fund.