A Tribute to My Father, Benjamin Melo: The Foundation Beneath Everything I Build
Frank Melo • May 20, 2025
Written by Frank Melo
There are certain people whose influence isn’t just remembered. It’s lived. My father, Benjamin Melo, was one of those people. His example shaped every part of who I am today as a business owner, a leader and a man.
My earliest lessons in work ethic came on our farm in West Lorne. At just 10 years old, I was plowing fields after school. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to help him finish faster. Our weekends were sacred, always reserved for traveling to visit family in London, Ontario or Toronto. That rhythm of earning your time and making it meaningful instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility, loyalty and balance that I carry to this day.
Later, my father opened the first Portuguese market in West Lorne. During my summer breaks, we would wake before dawn every Tuesday and head to the Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto. He hand-selected the freshest fruits and vegetables, and we picked up seafood imported from Portugal so we could serve our local community with quality and care. Watching him work, I learned that great business is about more than transactions. It’s about service, consistency, and pride in what you offer.
In high school, I spent summers working on the tobacco fields. My first year I drove the “boat” – a tractor with a trailer collecting harvested leaves. The next year, I was priming leaves by hand. It was grueling work, but it taught me grit and humility. Every job mattered. No shortcuts. No excuses.
Later in high school, we moved to London in the heart of southwestern Ontario. My father started a concrete foundation company, and I worked with him after school, every Saturday and throughout the summers. Of all the trades I worked in, this was the toughest. And being the owner’s son didn’t make it easier. In fact, he was harder on me than anyone else on the crew. At the time, I didn’t understand why. But as the years went on, I realized he was pushing me because he saw what I was capable of. He was teaching me resilience, accountability, and how to earn respect the right way.
My father lived those values every day. Whether he was working the land, running his business or preparing one of his legendary backyard pig roasts, everything he touched reflected pride, precision and heart.
Even now, I keep in touch with many of his childhood friends. They continue to share stories that reflect his humour, his loyalty and the quiet leadership he carried through life. He built trust. He built friendships. And he built me.
To my father, Benjamin Melo, thank you. You didn’t just give me a foundation. You taught me how to build one, with integrity, consistency and hard work. Everything I’ve created in my life stands on that.
I miss you, Dad. And I see your legacy in everything I do.
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Benjamin de Medeiros Melo passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Friday, April 25, 2025. The Double Black Construction team offers their condolences to the entire Melo family. We welcome you to read his obituary and learn more about this great man.
About the author:
Frank Melo
has a construction civil engineering technology and business background with over 25 years of experience as a business owner and contractor. He was born and educated in London, Ontario and now divides his time between projects primarily in Ontario and British Columbia. He can be contacted at Double Black Construction at (778) 951-4766
or by email at frank@doubleblackconstruction.com
or through LinkedIn.
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