Melva Joyce Dite

Melva Joyce Dite of Mountain Home, Arkansas, passed away April 26, 2023, in Mountain Home, Arkansas at the age of 81. She was born September 25, 1941, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, the daughter of Leland and Myrtle Shoup Kee. She graduated from the St. Bernard's School of Nursing in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where she obtained her LPN degree. She was a practicing nurse from 1961 until 1971. She married Richard Dite on June 29, 1979, in Aurora, Illinois. Melva lived in Mountain Home since moving from Illinois in 1984. She was a member of the Fellowship Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Mountain Home, Cumberland Presbyterian Women, the Third Age Group, and enjoyed singing with the church choir. For many years, she and Richard were devoted volunteers with Operation Christmas Child and would help process photography entries for the Baxter County Fair. In the winter, she and Richard would travel to Port Isabel, Texas, where she spent many hours walking on the beach and collecting seashells. She loved to read, paint, and enjoyed photography and bird watching. She was a volunteer with the Mountain Home Christian Clinic. She was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan.

Melva is survived by her son, Randall (Anita) Powell of Corinth, TX; daughter, Regina (Kevin) Graf of Chillicothe, IL, Cynthia (Steve) Alsvig of Plano, IL, and Tracy (Lanny) Dooley of Mountain Home, AR; brother, Kenneth Kee; two sisters, Judy (Hank) Ingemi and Dianna (Ernest) Sharp; 12 grandchildren, Jennifer, Laura, Joshua, R. Adam, Leslie, Heather, Paul, Sarah, Michael, Jacob, Jenna, and Lucas; 16 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and grandson, Jason.

Visitation will be Sunday, April 30, 2023, from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be 10:00 am, Monday, May 1, 2023, at Fellowship Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Mountain Home, with Reverend Randy Ludwig officiating and a Nurse's Tribute provided by the Arkansas Nurse's Honor Guard. Graveside Services will follow at 3:00 pm, at the Jonesboro Memorial Park Cemetery, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, with Reverend Randall Powell officiating and Joshua Powell, Adam Downs, Michael Fischer, Lucas Dooley, Lanny Dooley, and Steve Alsvig as pallbearers. Kevin Graf will be honorary pallbearer.

Memorials may be made to Operation Christmas Child or the Mountain Home Christian Clinic.

Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services - Mountain Home, Arkansas. Visit an online obituary and guestbook at www.kirbyandfamily.com .