Melanie Molpus Myers

Melanie Molpus Myers was born to Richard H. Molpus and Frances Molpus (Blount) on October 4, 1951 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. She was the second of four children, born after her older brother Dick and followed by two younger sisters, Nancy, and Dorothy. The Molpus family emerged as a caring center point in this community, remaining steadfast in their insistence on inclusiveness and social justice. Most Molpus dinner conversations were politically driven, not so much focused on us versus them, but rather, how do we make things better for all? There were a few evenings, of course, when earnestness was set aside to discuss the town gossip. It became a steady checks and balances system. This way of thinking followed Melanie wherever she would go for the rest of her life. During her earlier summers Melanie would ride her horse through the tall pine woods and sip on iced tea in the afternoons with her girlfriends.

Following high school Melanie moved on to Ole Miss and graduated with a degree in History and Education in 1973. It had been another fruitful social period in her life; she remained a good student and soon after graduation she and three of her sorority sisters decided to sample more of the world and moved to Boulder, Colorado. Melanie could attract the best kinds of people and quickly amassed a great bunch of new Colorado friends.

Melanie found a rewarding position with the Boulder Valley School District in the Special Education Department. It was at this time she met Jim Myers, a Navy veteran who held a BFA in painting and rode a British motorcycle. It was clear to all that he had stars in his eyes for this Belle of the South and they began to spend more and more time together, eventually marrying on March 22, 1975. They relocated to Southern California where they both returned to school. Combined with her graduate work at UCSB, Melanie moved to the position of diagnostician with the Special Ed Department of Santa Barbara School District. This turned into four plus years of hard work and good times. It had become the best four years of their marriage. But then again, it was only their first four years of marriage. Things would get even better.

There would be one more big move for Melanie and Jim. After some soul-searching they chose Dallas, TX in 1979. Melanie resumed her work writing curriculums. In April of 1982 they welcomed twin daughters, Meridith and Kathleen. When asked how they handled twins, Jim would always say they have no means of comparison; all they know is this is the worst thing that ever happened to them. Thankfully it was always met with laughs and the sentiment turned to pure love. The twins gave them more focus on everything else. Suddenly, everything mattered.

Melanie's energies shifted to the non-profit sector, with the Wilkinson Center becoming one of her biggest dedications. She served on the board for many years. Just as importantly, Melanie became focused on her girls' education. She volunteered with the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA and Lakewood PTA, serving as president for both. A soccer player herself, she became soccer coach to both girls, not as a soccer mom but as a nurturing educator. Coaching to their individual strengths, Melanie made certain that everyone played. If it matters, there were more wins than losses.

Melanie was a consummate hostess, and she celebrated all the milestones of her friends and their children. Melanie and Jim's beautiful Dilbeck-style home on Avalon and pristine backyard pool became a social hub. Her life-long love for tennis only increased and her passion for reading became more focused as she found several book clubs to join. Involved in Mahjong, tennis, and book clubs, these social engagements forged deep friendships. Those friendships moved beyond the borders of Lakewood and adventured across the globe to many points in the Western U.S., Italy, India, and beyond.

The twins entered colleges in Colorado with both graduating nearly on time. Meridith returned to Dallas and married Jeremy Zidell. They have two sons, Frank, age 9 and Oliver, age 7. Kathleen remained in Colorado, eventually marrying Scott Donaghe and moving with him to Las Vegas, NV. They have two children, a daughter, Porter, age 6 and a son, Cole, age 4. Melanie relished her role as grandmother, spoiling her grandchildren with love and kind words.

In June of 2021, Melanie was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. At the conclusion of her treatments the outlook was optimistic; however, in June of 2022 it was discovered there had been a recurrence. Further treatment failed to slow the new growth and she said enough: She decided to simply breathe in life, so she made sure to travel with family and friends to ensure those breaths were deep and meaningful. On December 12, 2022, Melanie drew her last breath. She had always been able to surround herself with a quiet space and immense beauty. This part will always be here.

Melanie is survived by her husband, Jim; daughters Meridith Zidell (Jeremy) and Kathleen Donaghe (Scott); grandchildren Frank and Oliver Zidell, Porter and Cole Donaghe; siblings Dick Molpus (Terry), Nancy Pace (Tom), and Dorothy Howorth (Tom).

A celebration of life will take place January 22, 2023 at Winfrey Point in Dallas at 2PM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wilkinson Center, PO Box 720248, Dallas TX 75372. Or to fund medical research at UTSW https://engage.utsouthwestern.edu/donate-now