Melody Lee Personius: Health problems led her to stand up for herself, others

As an infant, she defied doctors' expectations, surviving pneumonia, a stroke and multiple heart surgeries.

As an adult, Personius was quick to defend those she thought were being mistreated.

"She was just excited about everything and really happy to defend anybody," said caregiver Camie Smith.

The only struggle Personius couldn't overcome was with her defective heart.

Personius died Nov. 28, six weeks shy of her 41st birthday.

Born to Mary Della and Myron Personius at a hospital on an American naval station in Rota, Spain, Melody entered the world weighing less than 6 pounds.

She spent much of her infancy in incubators and in operating rooms with doctors trying to repair the hole in her heart. Her condition caused a stroke that partially paralyzed her left side, resulting in blindness in her left eye, limited use of her left hand and the need for a leg brace. It also caused developmental disabilities.

At 3, Personius and her mother traveled to Houston, where the toddler underwent a 17 1/2-hour, open-heart surgery to correct a condition called transposition of the great arteries. Normally, according to the American Heart Association Web site, "the pulmonary artery carries venous blood from the right ventricle to the lungs to get oxygen. Then the aorta carries the oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the body. In transposition of the great arteries, the vessels are reversed."

Personius survived at least 10 surgeries, her mother said. Once her health began to improve, the family moved to Tucson, to be near Mary Della's father, a local physician.

Personius thrived in school and in the workplace, and she had an active social life. She graduated from Flowing Wells High School, won numerous ribbons and medals in the Special Olympics, attended monthly dances, played on bowling teams, went to camp every summer and had a successful 17-year career working for Beacon Group, which employs people with disabilities.

"She had a lot to overcome," said Patrick McCarthy, Beacon Group's director of development, "but she was tough as nails and sweet as could be at the same time."

Well, most of the time.

Personius did not like bullies, her mother and caregivers said. Her first job for Beacon, working at the Value Village Thrift Store on North Fourth Avenue, ended abruptly when Personius took umbrage with a customer who was spanking her child. Personius decided to set the mother straight by whacking her with a hanger.

"That's when they moved her to rivets," Smith said.

For a number of years Personius dexterously assembled rivets for one of Beacon's clients, Alcoa Fastening Systems, even though she had use of only one hand. In recent months, Personius was one of the first to volunteer for and be chosen to work in Beacon's new laundry facility, washing clothing and linens that are donated to Value Village.

She also served as the first vice president of Beacon's Kiwanis Club, which started in 2007.

"We try and make this as much like the world of work as possible," McCarthy said. "Many, many people belong to service organizations. She became one of the early leaders.

"She was always enthusiastic and a joiner and had lots of friends here," he said.

Personius was an independent woman, who arranged for her own Van Tran rides to work. Five years ago she moved out of her mother's home and into an adult disability home with two other developmentally challenged women and a caregiver.

"We have a very busy lifestyle, and she was always there when I needed her," said the caregiver, Valerie Friel. "She was always out there helping me put the dishes away. The other girls weren't that interested, but she was right there. If she saw me do it, she'd come and help."

The walls of Personius' bedroom were covered with posters — one life-size — of country crooner Reba McEntire, and she named her cat after the singer, whom she'd met backstage at a concert in 1989.

Her second love: Disney icon Mickey Mouse.

She slept in Mickey pajamas, and Mickey sheets covered her bed.

"She'd just finished saving up money to take a trip to Disneyland in April," Friel said.

Sometimes, Smith said, she would hear Personius speculating about the trip. She'd gone to the Magic Kingdom when she was a girl, but hadn't been back since.

"She'd say, 'I wonder if Mickey's going to recognize me. I'm sure he will.' "

Through her work at Beacon, Personius had saved up $1,200 for the upcoming Disney trip. When she died the day after Thanksgiving, Friel said, the money was used for her funeral instead.

"Melody, she was smart and she always had a smile on her face," her mother said. "I miss my daughter."

Life Stories

This feature chronicles the lives of recently deceased Tucsonans. Some were well-known across the community. Others had an impact on a smaller sphere of friends, family and acquaintances. Many of these people led interesting — and sometimes extraordinary — lives with little or no fanfare. Now you'll hear their stories. Past "Life Stories" are online at: go.azstarnet.com/lifestories