Melissa Anne Dabas, 42, of Winchester, Virginia (formerly of New York and Maryland) passed away on Saturday, September 2, 2017. Melissa was the devoted wife of Dr. Sanjay Dabas and loving mother of Avinash and Sajan Dabas. She is survived by her beloved uncle and aunt, Melvin and Carol Benjamin of Bowie, Maryland; sister, Wendy Diehl and partner Roberta Stambaugh of Frederick, Maryland; cousins, Lisa and Charles Szarka of Mattituck, New York, David Benjamin of Arnold, Maryland, and Sarah and Jonathan Seibold of Crofton, Maryland; father and mother in-law, Ram and Shakuntala Dabas of Brampton, Ontario, Canada; brother-in-law, Naresh Dabas of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; nieces and nephews, Brenton and Gavin Diehl of Frederick, Maryland, Anna Szarka of Mattituck, New York, Dexter and Willow Seibold of Crofton, Maryland, and Nikhil Dabas of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Melissa was born in Huntington, New York. She earned a Bachelors of Science in Family Studies from the University of Maryland. Melissa dedicated her life to her family and to helping others through her career and volunteer activities.
In her professional career, Melissa served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children, the Manager of the Maryland Hillel Dining Program at the University of Maryland, a Case Manager for the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (assisting people with disabilities find gainful employment and integrate themselves into the community), and a Human Resource Manager for Hershey Hotels.
Melissa worked tirelessly to support others throughout her life beginning as a young person. She was a fierce advocate and caregiver for children and their families. In her volunteer pursuits, she supported her local food pantries and other community organizations. She served as the President of the Powhatan School Parents Association organizing and facilitating events to enrich the school’s educational programs and build a stronger school community. She shared her love of learning and passion for reading with her children and continuously supported school library programs. She also supported her local Indian community during the yearly religious celebrations.
Of all of Melissa’s achievements in her lifetime, she viewed being a mother to her two loving and beautiful sons as her greatest accomplishment.
There will be two services held to celebrate Melissa’s life. The funeral service will take place on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at a time and location to be announced in Bowie, Maryland. The memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 4:00 pm at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel, 1600 Amherst Street, Winchester, Virginia, 22601. The family will receive friends for a time of gathering at Omps Funeral Home from 3:00 to 4:00 pm prior to the celebration of life.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Melissa’s name may be made to the Winchester Medical Center Cancer Center, 400 Campus Blvd, Winchester, Virginia, 22601 or to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork Street, Suite 405, Winchester, Virginia, 22601.