Melba Jean Birdwell Dinwiddie
Melba Jean Birdwell Dinwiddie
Melba Jean Birdwell Dinwiddie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma to L. L. (Mike) Birdwell and Inola (Smith) Birdwell on January 6, 1937. She left this world peacefully with her devoted husband by her side in her home in Kansas City, Missouri on Friday, January 31, 2025.
Melba graduated from Okemah High School in 1956 and later earned her associate’s degree in human services at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska and worked for the University of Nebraska as a Research Assistant in Addictions Education. She continued in the Field of Addiction Counseling in various capacities in Stillwater, Ok and finally in Kansas City. Beginning at Research Hospital Psychiatric Center she worked with dual diagnosis adolescents and family counseling. While at Research, she also continued to pursue her education and gained numerous professional certifications in Addictions Counseling, Compulsive Gambling Counseling, and Hypnotherapy to help even more people with PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression and other emotional disorders. She was awarded the Dr. Frist Humanitarian Award for her outstanding contribution.
She then went to work for a nonprofit Alcohol/Drug Addictions Program called Kansas City Community Center that provided inpatient and follow up outpatient recovery services for the mostly minority and uninsured population. This program also served those coming out of prison or those facing the prospect of prison for their drug offenses. Her last position was with a first of its kind in the nation known as Drug Court Diversion, where clients sentenced for nonviolent drug offenses could have their records expunged if they successfully completed this year-long program of recovery. She loved her work and was loved and respected by her clients and fellow counselors during the 35 plus years she devoted to helping others.
Melba is preceded in death by her parents and a son. Jeffery Rollings, and one brother-in-law, Mack Thompson.
Survivors include her husband of 34 years, Robert Dinwiddie, of the home, one son, Marc Rollings and wife, Laura, of St. Petersburg, Florida, one daughter-in-law, Cynthia Blixt Rollings of Merriam, Kansas, one sister, Jo Frances Thompson, of Okemah, Oklahoma. Her grandchildren include Sarah Pickett and husband, Sean, of Warrensburg, Missouri, Joe Rollings of Olathe, Kansas and Lindsay Rollings of St. Petersburg, Florida. Her great grandchildren include Julia, Ivie and Brody Rollings and Sophia, Luke and Jase Pickett. One sister-in-law, Cynthia Dinwiddie, of Olathe, Kansas, one brother-in-law James Dinwiddie of Virginia. Nieces and nephews include Kim Green and husband, Billy, of Dewar, Ok, Todd Thompson and wife, Patty of Okemah, Ok and Michael Dinwiddie of Olathe, Kansas and numerous other family members and friends.
No services are planned at this time.