I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one. I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done. I’d like to leave an echo…whispering softly down the ways of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days. I’d like the tears of those who grieve to dry before the sun of happy memories that I leave behind when life is done
Afterglow
Melodie A. Lohr, age 74, passed away after a battle with cancer and developing complications on September 21, 2016, in the comfort of her home. Her loving husband was by her side. A private memorial, celebrating her life, will be held in a peaceful beachside setting for family and close friends.
Mrs. Lohr was born on August 7, 1942 in Lake Forest, Illinois, the daughter of late Thomas and Jeanne Pack.
Mrs. Lohr is survived by her husband James Lohr, MD, her son, Steve McManmon, daughter, Willa McManmon-Feaver, grandchildren, Alyssa, Johnam, Blake, and sister, Jill Adams.
Before Mrs. Lohr started her 40+-year professional work career in nursing, she was part of the folk singing group, Three Johns with A Melodie. She also performed studio backup vocals for Rotary Connection, Janis Joplin’s Big Brother and the Holding Company, Josh White, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris and various other artists.
She later received a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree from UCLA and spent some years as a sculptress. She began her nursing career at the University of Pennsylvania where she received a Bachelor of Nursing degree. During this time she served as head nurse in the Trauma/Shock Center and helped develop the program and train medical personal for the Life Flight Team. She then went into Psychiatric Nursing and obtained a Master’s in Nursing degree, at the University of Pittsburgh. She then spent three years at the National Institute for Health in Bethesda Maryland as Educator for medical staff and ran the largest Mental Health Clinic in the country at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington DC. During her last year at NIH, she was awarded Nurse of the Year, and also received a Public Health Service Meritorious Research Award.
Mrs. Lohr came to San Diego 30 years ago and opened Behavioral Medicine at Scripps Hospital. After serving as Director of Behavioral Medicine for several years she developed a six-bed med-psych unit for critically ill patients who had co-morbid psychiatric illnesses. While at Scripps she also opened outpatient and day treatment programs at the McDonald Center in behavioral medicine, dual diagnosis, eating disorders, and a women’s program. She then became Manager of Clinical Services at Vista Health Plan in San Diego. For several years she served as a research coordinator and patient evaluator on a variety of research projects, both at NIH, and UCSD.
Following her career in hospital administration and program development she went back to school to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. She worked as a Nurse Practitioner until she developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, which caused her career as a Nurse Practitioner to come to an abrupt end. After partially recovering she spent the next two years working for Anthem Blue Cross as a Medical Liaison and she began co-authoring a book Volcano Woman, about her experiences recovering from total paralysis. Over the past few years, Mrs. Lohr expressed a desire to include her recovery and rehabilitation from cancer into the existing book in progress. She wanted to help other cancer patients in any way she could, from resources to basic support, understanding their plight.
Mrs. Lohr is affectionately called, “Mel,” “Melodie,” and “Miracle Mel.” For those fortunate enough to know her, several things stand out; her unmatched zeal for life, her boundless love for family and friends, and her uncanny ability to spring back with a smile from life and rehabilitation challenges.
A year ago, she made the decision to fight cancer, and asked her oncologist, “If I decide to fight this what am I signing up for and if I do is there any hope?” His answer was blunt and truthful. “Living Hell but with the right attitude you just might survive.” Since then she went through 12 rounds of chemotherapy followed by 6 weeks of daily radiation therapy and 5 major surgeries.
On Monday, August 1, 2016 she was declared in remission. Her oncology team named her “Miracle Mel.” Her family, friends, hospital team of doctors, nurses and auxiliary staff would all agree, Miracle Mel was a Warrior Woman to her last day.
Love, Christine
She will be deeply missed
Let us pray for the departed soul to rest in everlasting peace
Melodie’s Family & Favorites
She sounds like a fine woman. My deepest sympathies. x
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Thank you so much, Sue! She was a fine woman, and my best friend for many years! 💛 Christine
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It sounds as if you were lucky to have known her x
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wow – this is touching and sad.
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Thank you so much Mihran! I had to put my sadness into words honoring her life. She was my best friend for years. 💛 Christine
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I am sorry for your loss.
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Thank you GP! Loss of my best, long time friend is very sad! 💛 Christine
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Take time to mourn and heal, Christine. A person needs to, more than some realize.
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Thank you GP! The sadness will always be there. Healing for me is in words. Our long time friendship in e-mail communication and text messages copied for the Miracle Melodie file. Sometime in the future I’ll finish the book, Volcano Woman, that Melodie and I started writing as co-authors. It will celebrate her extraordinary life. 💛 Christine
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A great way to honor your friend!!
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My deepest sympathies, Kathleen. She sounds a fascinating and no-nonsense woman.
❤ ❤ ❤
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Thanks so much, Tess! you got that right, she was a multi-talented, strong woman. A best friend for many years! 💛 Christine (Elizabeth)
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Sorry for your loss, Christine. ❤ ❤ ❤
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I’m so very sorry for the loss of such a friend, Christine. A lovely tribute here. 💘
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Thank you, Van, for your kind thoughts! My way of honoring a best friend in words. 💛 Christine (Elizabeth)
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so so so very sorry for your loss Elizabeth… you were blessed to have such a friend. ❤
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Thank you, Jodi! Melodie was my best friend, and colleague. We shared many years of work, became Nurse Practitioners together, and were co-authors for her book, Volcano Woman. That’s on my list of WIP books to finish. 💛 Christine (Elizabeth)
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So sorry to read about the loss of your friend, Elizabeth. She sounds like a wonderful woman. ❤
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Thank you so much Diana! She was an extraordinary friend and colleague! We were friends for more than 25 years. I miss her! 💛 Elizabeth (Christine)
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I hope you take comfort in some great memories of your friendship. It’s one of the special joys of life.
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Thank you Diana! I have great memories in written words. The manuscript for Volcano
Woman, the book we were co-authoring, and all the e-mails brainstorming our ideas. A lot of fun. 💛 Christine (Elizabeth)
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What a beautiful tribute to Miracle Mel!
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Thanks so much, Jason!, for your visit and comment! It was an honor to write this tribute to my best friend. 💛 Christine
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Beautiful and heartfelt tribute. My sympathy dear xxx
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Thank you so much, Lynn! I miss her everyday! 💛 Christine
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xxxx
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💛💛💛
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I’m so sorry for your loss. She seems like an amazing woman. The opening part brought tears to my eyes!
Stephanie
http://stephie5741.blogspot.com
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Thanks for your visit and comment, Stephanie! She was an amazing friend, and I miss her! Thanks for leaving your URL. I’m looking forward to browsing your blog site. 💛 Christine
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What a beautiful story
This woman sounds like the kind they don’t make anymore
I would of love to have met her
And you told it so well
Great post
Excellent work
As always Sheldon
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Sheldon, thanks so much for your visit and comment. Melodie was an extraordinary woman. The best friend I ever had in my life (along with my mother and sister). So happy you read and liked the post. She was all that I wrote and more! 💛 Christine
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Those kinds of people are few and far in between
I have been blessed with a few in my life time
Thank you again
Christine
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Agree, Sheldon! We were lucky to find such extraordinary people. 💛Christine
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This is a beautiful tribute you paid Christine. Melodie was a wonderful lady and a strong beautiful soul, and that’s beautifully holding up through your words. Thank you for sharing her memories with your heartfelt words. I’m sure she’s happy with her life spent amongst loving people like you.
May her soul rest in peace.
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Mithai, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. She was a strong, beautiful soul. I miss her everyday! 💛 Christine
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She’s still in your memories, giving you strength and happiness 🙂
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Mithai, thank you for your understanding words! 💛 Christine
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You are welcome! Take care 🙂
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Hugs Christine. A beautiful tribute to someone so obviously lived by many. 😔💐
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Thank you for your visit and kind comment. Yes, Melodie had many people in her life that loved her! I miss her so much! 💛 Christine
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This past Spring I lost a very dear friend, a Soul Sister, similarly. But she chose not to do treatment because the prognosis was grim. Only a few more months in exchange for all that chemo and radiation. She left us within weeks of being diagnosed. We met online 16 years ago and rarely a day passed that we didn’t correspnd. We were able to spend actual time together on two vacations. My heart still aches for her totally honest and loving friendship. I still cannot believe she is gone from the physical world but I feel her with me every day.
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I’m so sorry for your loss! Sounds as if we both found rare friendships, and the beautiful memories stay with us everyday. I understand well your words! Melodie & I were also co-authors of her WIP, Volcano Woman. Even though it is on hold for perhaps future work. She was a great storyteller, and I ask her (out loud) to help me with my own WIP. Funny thing, I instantly get new ideas and direction! It’s as if she’s still
here! 💛 Christine
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Loved.
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🤗
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As wild as some people might find it, I often feel her mosre closely than when she was in this ohysical life. She bore a lot of emotional burdens due to family challenges, always the rock for everyone else. She always longed to be free from them. I can almost feel her sense of freedom now.
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Cheryl, I feel that same closeness to Melodie! Sounds a bit wild and weird to other people though. Seems both our friends had similar challenges, and they are finally at peace! 💛 Christine
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It’s unfortunate that she had to pass on after winning against cancer. Then again, the important thing was she won against quite an adversary.
My condolences to her family and friends. Rest in peace, Miracle Mel.
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Thank you so much, J.Gi! Miracle Mel is finally at peace. 💛 Christine
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I appreciate the history on this site.
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Thank you for your visit! I appreciate your comment! 💛 Christine
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able you give me your opinion on my 40th painting table? I’m interested in him
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Thank you, Ahmed! I commented on your 40th paining on your blog site. Please read it. I love the colors and design. 💛 Christine
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Thanks dear Christine 🌻🌿
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Friendship is both a gift and a blessing.
I’m a bit late, but all the best, my dear friend.
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Thank you so much for your comment! Melodie will always be my best friend! 💛 Christine
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Christine,
My heart grieves with you. Melodie had a very special place in my heart also, and was trying to reconnect with me right up to the very end. Without her friendship I would not be who I am today. I have a file of her “insights” that might be useful for your book, and I would love to support you in getting her story shared. I hope that we can connect.
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Lanita, I’m thrilled to meet you through our mutual friend, Melodie! Thank you so much for your visit and comment. She will always be my best friend! During Melodie’s last living & thriving month, she did mention you, her health-minded good friend. Yes, let’s connect! I’ll send you an e-mail. 💛 Christine
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