Melinda Dean Stephens Ogg, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and devoted Christian, passed away peacefully on August 9, 2026, at the age of 76. She was born December 4, 1949, to Almer and Dorothy Stephens.
    Melinda grew up in Neosho, Missouri, and later attended Southeast High School in Wichita, Kansas, where she graduated. In 1970, she met the love of her life, Robert Ogg. They were married on September 19, 1970, beginning a marriage and life together that would span more than 54 years. 
    Robert’s service in the United States Air Force took Melinda and their growing family to many places. They began their married life in Misawa, Japan, and welcomed their first son, Jason. Several years later, they moved to Germany, where their second son, Brian, was born. In 1981, they returned to the United States, living in California and Oklahoma before eventually settling in the Wichita area and, most recently, El Dorado, Kansas, where they could be close to their son and grandchildren. 
   Throughout her life, Melinda worked as a church secretary at several churches. Her work gave her the opportunity to meet and help countless people, and she often found ways to offer kindness, encouragement, and practical help to those in need. Serving others was simply part of who she was. 
    Melinda loved the Lord with all her heart. She was a devoted Christian whose faith was woven into every part of her life. She could often be heard singing hymns throughout the house as she prepared the large meals she loved to make for her family and for her children's friends. Her home was a place where people felt welcome, loved, and cared for. She created the kind of home where all the kids wanted to gather, and many of them carried those memories with them long after they had grown. 
   Melinda had a wonderful love of collecting and treasured her collections of Dreamsicles, penguins, and antiques. Christmas was her favorite time of year, and she embraced the holiday wholeheartedly. She loved decorating with several Christmas trees and displaying her cherished It's a Wonderful Life villages, filling her home with the warmth and magic of the season. 
    Above all, Melinda loved her family. She treasured her sons, Jason and Brian, and took great joy in watching her family grow. She especially loved being a grandmother and welcomed each new grandchild with the same excitement and love. 
    She is survived by her husband, Robert Ogg; her sons, Jason Ogg (April Swinnea-Ogg) and Brian Ogg (Taryn); and her grandchildren, Kian Ogg, Rachel Ogg, Cayde Ogg, Dayce Ogg, Ethan O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Jordan Young, and Andrew Muse. Melinda was preceded in death by her parents, Almer and Dorothy Stephens 
    Melinda leaves behind much more than memories. She leaves behind the love she gave so freely, the faith she lived so faithfully, the meals she prepared, the hymns she sang, the traditions she created, and a home where family and friends always knew they were welcome. Her greatest legacy is the love she poured into the people around her—a legacy that will continue through her children, grandchildren, and all those whose lives she touched.
She will be deeply missed and forever loved.
Her memorial will be on Saturday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. at First Southern Baptist Church in El Dorado, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, we request canned goods to fill the needs of the community and continue her legacy.