MELANIE L Benz

Our beloved #32
Don't be fancy, just get dancy
Why so serious?
We will never be, never be, anything but loud
Just come on and come on, and raise your glass - Pink
Melanie L. Benz lived her life often lighthearted with a tremendous sense of humor, dancing and singing whenever she had the chance. Though her loved ones are grieving this unimaginable and heartbreaking loss, make no mistake, Melanie most certainly danced into her eternal home . . . performing a fabulous rendition of Pink.
Melanie, age 41, of Lawrenceville, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019 in Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Elmira, N.Y., due to metastatic malignant melanoma. She was the wife of Benjamin Benz and the mother of Elliott Benz.
Melanie was born in Dec. 1977, in Reading, the daughter of David Benz of Bernville, and Margaret (Fisher) Moyer of Laureldale,.
Melanie was a 1996 graduate of Elkland Area High School. During high school, she participated in numerous activities, most notably basketball and volleyball. She was an outstanding athlete, one of the best to ever come through the region. As an Elkland Lady Ram, Melanie helped the basketball and volleyball teams win many championship and title games . . . most importantly, the 1996 PIAA Class A State Basketball Championship. Her awards/accomplishments worth mentioning include: a 1,000 career point scorer (1,181), League All-Star, Twin Tiers All Time Leader 1996, District All-Star, All State Honorable Mention, and being inducted into the Tioga County Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Melanie was employed by the Associated Anesthesiologists of the Finger Lakes, LLP, as their Chief Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, working at Arnot Ogden Medical Center. Prior to becoming a CRNA in 2010, Melanie worked at Arnot Ogden Medical Center from 2000 to 2008 - first as a Clinical Registered Nurse in the Operating Room, and later in the Intensive Care Unit. She also did seasonal employment as a Triage RN for Watkins Glen International Raceway. Melanie's hard work and determination carried her through three nursing programs, completing her degrees while often balancing work at the same time: Nursing Diploma through Arnot Ogden Medical Center School of Nursing (2000), Bachelor's of Science in Nursing through the University of Phoenix (2007), and Master's of Science in Nurse Anesthesia through the University of Scranton (2010). Melanie was excellent at her profession and highly regarded by her medical colleagues. She brought fun energy to the OR, and she had the utmost compassion towards her patients. She truly loved her job.
Melanie was beautiful, vibrant, brilliant, and fun-spirited. She was a champion in her lifetime, so accomplished, and carved a path of doing good for the world and bringing compassion and joy to others. She enriched lives, saved lives, and made people laugh. Her smile was infectious, and she would brighten up a room. Mel was also fierce, hardworking, and a strong competitor. She loved the great outdoors and the wonders of nature – gardening, beekeeping, bird watching, and camping. Melanie enjoyed homesteading and her family's mini farm of goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, and occasional pigs. She adored the family pets: dogs, Peanut, Rocko, and Sparta, and cat, Nick . . . they will greatly miss her. She took delight with planning events and parties, especially Murder Mysteries. She liked travel and adventure. Most of all, Melanie loved her family and friends and devoted her time to being a super mom to 2-year-old Elliott and a loving wife to her husband, Ben.
In addition to her husband, son, and parents, Melanie is survived by sister, Carolyn Benz of Spring Township, and two brothers, Bryan Fisher of Abbeville, LA, and Thomas Benz of Stephenson, VA. A grandfather, Warren H. Fisher of Laureldale, survives as well.
Services will be public for all who knew and loved Melanie and those that feel inclined to support her family and close friends, on Saturday, March 2, at the former Elkland Area High School, 110 Ellison Road, Elkland, visitation/greeting from 1-3 p.m., followed by a life celebration at 3 p.m. with Pastor Dorothy Densmore of Parkhurst Memorial Presbyterian Church officiating.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Melanie's memory to "Elliott Benz" for deposit into his college/education investment account, c/o Citizens and Northern Bank, PO Box 5, Elkland, PA 16920.
Arrangements are in care of Kenyon Funeral Home. www.kenyonfuneralhome.com.