Malinda Ann Dickson was stubborn, hot-headed, and filled with more fire than anyone could put out.

Yet alongside that fire lived a gentleness. She was kind, understanding, loving, and deeply sentimental.

Malinda — also known as Mindy, Red, or Sis depending on who is asked — was born on Nov. 17, 1962 in Lamar, Colorado and passed away, loved and deeply cherished, on Aug. 8, 2025 in Cunningham, Kansas.

If ever asked, Malinda would always say her greatest accomplishment was raising her three sons James, Lane, and Trace Salzbrenner. To them, she was both their fiercest defender and their loudest cheerleader. She taught them to listen, to notice the beauty in living things, to never give up, and countless other lessons.

Malinda grew up a rancher's daughter, a daddy's girl, in the windswept hills near Pitchett, Colorado, the daughter of Linda and the late James VanCampen. Her little brothers Keith and Mike were her constant torment, and her friends. It's where she gained her stubbornness.

She lived in several places in Colorado and Kansas, making connections and raising her boys. She worked as the extension agent for Baca County, helping organize the Baca County Fair. She worked at the COOP in Johnson City, Kansas, as an insurance agent in Holly, Colorado, and various other jobs wherever she and her family landed.

Malinda knew the value of listening. She understood that listening, asking questions, and showing genuine interest helped ignite a child's passions and gave them confidence. So whether the kid was excitedly sharing their latest hobby, talking about their problems, or telling her about the newest cartoon they couldn't stop watching, she wanted to hear it.

For her friends, listening was a way she showed her support. It was common for her to get a call from someone, just for her to lend an ear.

Malinda loved animals as much as people, sometimes more. She believed every creature, big and small, deserved respect. When Lane needed a show-and-tell item, she decided to pull over on the side of the road and catch a tarantula for him. The spider would then become a pet.

In later years, she devoted much of her time to the Kingman Humane Society, helping raise kittens until they were ready for adoption, and sometimes adopting them herself. She also cherished spending time with her husband, Philip Dickson, through dining out, taking flights together, and enjoying long drives through the countryside

She also loved music and would often ask James to pull out his guitar. And when they were out together, she quizzed her kids on the songs playing on the radio or in restaurants, sharing her passion for the classics.

She loved rainstorms, bright stars, and having home cooked meals with her family and friends.

Malinda's memory and her passion lives on in her three sons — James (and his wife Lisa), Lane (and his wife Mollie), Trace — her mom Linda, her brothers Keith and Mike, her husband Philip Dickson and his kids Katie Hornbeck and Zeke Dickson. She is also survived by ten grandchildren, her nephews and their children, and many extended family members and friends.

Her family's gratitude goes out to the Cancer Center of Kansas and her doctors and nurses. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kingman Humane Society.

Malinda's family and friends are encouraged to remember her at Livingston Funeral Home in Kingman, Kansas on Thursday, August 14 at 11 a.m. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at the funeral home.  Burial will be in the Walnut Hill Cemetery, Kingman.The service will also be livestreamed on the Livingston Funeral Home FaceBook page.