Melody Lynn Anderson of Seaford passed away on March 19 after a lifelong battle with Huntington’s Disease. Melody was born on Oct. 26, 1994 to Rick Anderson and Hollie Anderson Wallace (Mike Wallace – stepfather).
Melody started showing symptoms of Juvenile Huntington’s Disease (JHD is a form of Huntington’s disease that affects children and teenagers. Huntington’s disease is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressively worsening motor, cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric symptoms.) when she was a young teenager. Due to her illness, she was never able to get a driver’s license, graduate high school, go to college, have a job, get married, or have kids. She didn’t have an easy life and it took her years to come to terms with her illness. Once she came to terms with her disease, found peace with previous hurts and disappointments, and surrendered her life to Jesus, Melody began to live a life full of joy that would impact more people than she would have imagined.
She may not have accomplished what was normal in society’s eyes, but she accomplished what God’s will for her was – to bring glory to Him. Though Melody had disabilities and was in a wheelchair, once she started singing worship music, you could barely tell she was disabled by the way she would stand up and hold her hands up in the air. She was sweet and sassy, funny but also full of depth. Her mind was sharp and quick to make jokes and break out in song. Melody’s family was very important to her and she would light up any time she saw them. She loved her very faithful friend, Ron, who loved to take her shopping to add to her DVD collection, of which she had hundreds. She found such joy seeing her nieces and playing on her tablet with them, being spoiled by weekly Chick-fil-A oreo milkshakes, having her Uncle Mark paint her nails, walks in the bright sun, going Christmas shopping and picking out special gifts for her family, singing, of course, dancing to the Veggie Tales Remix, getting her ‘Jesus juice.’
Regardless of Melody’s disabilities, she had such a caring heart that was so concerned for other’s well-being. She cared about those who were hurting or sick and she loved kids. Many times, she has prayed for those who she was worried about, especially spiritually. Her biggest desire was that others would know Jesus like she knew Him and that her life would show others who He was.
Melody was predeceased by maternal grandfather, Joe Hand; paternal grandparents Larry and Martina Wallace; and her mother, Hollie Wallace.
She is survived by her grandparents Carroll and Rick Anderson; father Rick Anderson, Jr. and Mike Wallace; siblings Ricky Anderson (Tiffany), Destiny Cramer (Dylan), Jonathan Wallace, and Marky Melson Jr., as well as her beloved nieces and nephew: Aurora, Stella, Nova, and Celeste Anderson, and Logan Moore.
A viewing will be held at Greenwood Mennonite Church on Friday, March 24 from 6 -8 p.m. and another viewing on Saturday, March 25 from 9 – 10, with a celebration service starting at 10 a.m.
We wanted to express our most sincere gratitude for all of the wonderful care that Melody received leading up to her going Home to be with the Lord. The staff at Beebe Hospital in Lewes were phenomenal at caring for Melody as well as our family and to her incredible hospice nurse, who had very little to no sleep, Mark Hammel. They felt like family to us and we couldn’t have asked for a better transition for Melody.
Melody wanted her life to have a domino effect on others and she so desired to make an impact on whoever she could. In lieu of flowers, we know Melody would be honored to have others make a Kingdom impact in her memory. She adored Home of Hope (Teen Challenge). To donate, please visit their website and make a memo “in Melody’s memory” or mail a check; https://pushpay.com/g/delmarvaadultteenchallenge or Home of Hope, PO Box 1271 Seaford, DE, 19973.
Services entrusted to the Framptom Funeral Home – Fleischauer Chapel in Greenwood. Share memories with the family at www.framptom.com.