Melody Sue Plust — May 1, 1965 – April 2, 2026
Melody Sue Plust, beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, and the heart and soul of The Villages cardio drumming community, passed away on April 2nd, 2026. She was 60 years old.
Born Melody Sue Surizon on May 1, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, to Frieda and Jack Surizon. Melody grew up in Bayside, Queens, surrounded by music and laughter as the sibling of Mimi, Barbara and Barry. From her earliest years, she was known for her magnetic personality and her gift for gathering people around her — a gift that never dimmed.
Before finding her way to The Villages, Melody spent over 30 years as a beloved fixture at the Landmark Diner in Roslyn, Long Island. Behind the counter and between the booths, she built relationships with generations of regulars, greeted celebrities with the same warmth she gave everyone, and turned a neighborhood diner into a place where people felt like family. Her warmth, her humor, and her way of making every person feel like the most important one in the room made her unforgettable to all who walked through those doors. The Landmark wasn't just where Melody worked — it was where she perfected the art of connection that would define the rest of her life.
Melody married her husband, Paul Plust, in September 2000 in a beautiful ceremony on Long Island. The two later made their home in The Villages, Florida, a community that would come to define some of the most vibrant years of her life.
It was in The Villages that Melody discovered what would become her defining passion: cardio drumming. She took to it with characteristic enthusiasm, and in time earned the affectionate title of "the Bruce Springsteen of cardio drumming" among her devoted following. She became one of four co-leaders of the group Cardio Drum Mel Lin Bon Kel, leading classes each week alongside her dearest friends, Linda Restivo, Bonnie Henderson, and Kelly Lee — women who began as cardio drummer sisters and became her closest confidantes.
Together they arrived early, stayed late, shared meals, sent texts, and held Friday night gatherings. They were, as Melody often said, her best friends — proof, she would tell anyone who asked, that it was never too late to find your people.
Those who attended her classes described an experience that went far beyond exercise. Melody had a rare ability to connect people to one another, filling every room with energy and warmth not to mention great fun music. She led not just with drumsticks, but with an infectious love of life that drew others in and made them feel seen. "When fun was happening, that was where Melody was," said her friend Kelly Lee. "Not in the middle of it — she was leading it."
Melody was also a lover of trivia, a regular at The Market at Sawgrass Grove, and a devoted resident of the Village of St. Catherine, where she had lived since 2021. She embraced The Villages with open arms, and The Villages embraced her back.
She is survived by her husband, Paul, her stepdaughter, Michelle, her stepson, Matthew, her grandson, Colin, her sisters, Mimi and Barbara; her brother, Barry, seven nieces and nephews, nine great-nieces and nephews, and a community of friends and fellow drummers who will carry her spirit with them into every class, every beat and every shared moment of joy.
Melody Plust was, by her own joyful declaration, living her best life — and all who knew her know that was absolutely true.
Born Melody Sue Surizon on May 1, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, to Frieda and Jack Surizon. Melody grew up in Bayside, Queens, surrounded by music and laughter as the sibling of Mimi, Barbara and Barry. From her earliest years, she was known for her magnetic personality and her gift for gathering people around her — a gift that never dimmed.
Before finding her way to The Villages, Melody spent over 30 years as a beloved fixture at the Landmark Diner in Roslyn, Long Island. Behind the counter and between the booths, she built relationships with generations of regulars, greeted celebrities with the same warmth she gave everyone, and turned a neighborhood diner into a place where people felt like family. Her warmth, her humor, and her way of making every person feel like the most important one in the room made her unforgettable to all who walked through those doors. The Landmark wasn't just where Melody worked — it was where she perfected the art of connection that would define the rest of her life.
Melody married her husband, Paul Plust, in September 2000 in a beautiful ceremony on Long Island. The two later made their home in The Villages, Florida, a community that would come to define some of the most vibrant years of her life.
It was in The Villages that Melody discovered what would become her defining passion: cardio drumming. She took to it with characteristic enthusiasm, and in time earned the affectionate title of "the Bruce Springsteen of cardio drumming" among her devoted following. She became one of four co-leaders of the group Cardio Drum Mel Lin Bon Kel, leading classes each week alongside her dearest friends, Linda Restivo, Bonnie Henderson, and Kelly Lee — women who began as cardio drummer sisters and became her closest confidantes.
Together they arrived early, stayed late, shared meals, sent texts, and held Friday night gatherings. They were, as Melody often said, her best friends — proof, she would tell anyone who asked, that it was never too late to find your people.
Those who attended her classes described an experience that went far beyond exercise. Melody had a rare ability to connect people to one another, filling every room with energy and warmth not to mention great fun music. She led not just with drumsticks, but with an infectious love of life that drew others in and made them feel seen. "When fun was happening, that was where Melody was," said her friend Kelly Lee. "Not in the middle of it — she was leading it."
Melody was also a lover of trivia, a regular at The Market at Sawgrass Grove, and a devoted resident of the Village of St. Catherine, where she had lived since 2021. She embraced The Villages with open arms, and The Villages embraced her back.
She is survived by her husband, Paul, her stepdaughter, Michelle, her stepson, Matthew, her grandson, Colin, her sisters, Mimi and Barbara; her brother, Barry, seven nieces and nephews, nine great-nieces and nephews, and a community of friends and fellow drummers who will carry her spirit with them into every class, every beat and every shared moment of joy.
Melody Plust was, by her own joyful declaration, living her best life — and all who knew her know that was absolutely true.