Melissa Dickinson

Melissa Jane (Clark) Dickinson, of Bethesda, Maryland, passed away peacefully from Glioblastoma on June 10,, surrounded by her family at her home. Melissa was born Jan. 6, 1975, in Dallas but was raised primarily in Hopkinton. She graduated from Hopkinton High School in 1993 and was a member of the tennis and soccer teams and the National Honor Society, and was editor of her class yearbook. In 1997, Melissa graduated magna cum laude from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a BA degree. After graduation, Melissa earned her Virginia certified public accounting license and was employed in several accounting positions, including with Lincoln Property Co. in Arlington, Virginia, in property management.

Melissa married Nicholas Dana Dickinson on April 4, 2009, and they moved to Las Vegas, where their children, Natalie and Regan, were born. In Las Vegas, Melissa worked for Brown & Brown Insurance Co. in accounting management. Melissa and family moved to Bethesda, Maryland, in 2021, and Melissa returned to employment at Lincoln Property.

In May 2018, Melissa was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Even in the face of adversity, Melissa’s spirt remained unyielding, and she continued to live life to the fullest. Melissa was grateful for her medical teams at UCLA and Johns Hopkins.

Melissa was a loving, kind, active, vibrant and courageous woman. Melissa hiked the Grand Canyon and ran three marathons, a dozen half-marathons and many other races, including the Falmouth, Road Race, which she most recently ran in August 2023. Melissa also enjoyed skiing, music and family beach vacations. Melissa’s blue eyes, bright smile, dry sense of humor and genuine, easygoing nature would light up a room. Melissa was a good friend to many. More than anything, Melissa adored her two children. Melissa will be missed.

Melissa is survived by her husband, Nicholas Dana Dickinson, daughters Natalie Jane Dickinson and Regan Dana Dickinson, parents Ron and Nancy Clark of Sun City Center, Florida, and Hopkinton, brother David Clark and wife Sabrina Clark and children Brayden Clark and Kendall Clark, aunt Marilyn (Clark) Moger and husband Dan Moger, first cousins Darren Moger, Valerie Moger, Carolyn Plummer and Kathyrn Magesacher, sister-in-Law Amy (Dickinson) Heydorff and husband Josh Heydorff, and mother-in-law Mary Louise Dickinson.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 13, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 520 Veirs Road, Rockville, Maryland. It will be followed by a celebration of life at 12:30 p.m. at the Rock Creek Mansion, 5417 West Cedar Lane, Bethesda, Maryland. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Melissa’s name to Camp Kesem (James Madison University Chapter) at kesem.org.

Obituaries are submissions, typically from funeral homes, that are not subject to the same level of editorial oversight as the rest of the Hopkinton Independent. Obituaries may be edited for grammatical and factual mistakes and clarifications and shortened for space considerations.