|
| |
Longtime Caddo resident, Kathleen Meadows, died Monday, April 17, 2017, in Overland Park, KS. Born June 7, 1926, in Portales, New Mexico, to Leonard and Edna Jones, Lennie Kathleen was named after a maternal aunt.
Growing up on ranches in rural west Texas, Kathleen was responsible for family meals and many household chores while her mom helped in the fields. She developed a love of gardening, practical experience with meal preparation, and an untiring work ethic. When a high school home economics teacher offered a special class in foods and nutrition, her interest was piqued and she knew she'd found the direction for her life's work. After college graduation at Texas Women's University, Kathy had jobs with Houston Power and Light, Kraft Foods, and then became food service director for Austin College.
During this time she met her beloved Joe, whose family had deep ties in Caddo. They were married on June 1, 1948 in Durant, OK, and thus began a long affiliation with Caddo and Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Kathy was in charge of cafeteria food service when Southeastern's Hallie McKinney Hall opened, a position that included food for college students living in the dorm as well as evening banquets. She left that position to focus on her young children, but during this time, taught seminars and served as a dietary consultant for school cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes. In 1967, she began work on her master's degree, and soon after, she began teaching foods and nutrition in the Home Economics Department at Southeastern. She would later serve as department chair and briefly as a dean, before retirement. She valued education and served as an example to others by completing her doctorate at age 50. She encouraged many youngstudents toward a college degree through her work at Southeastern.
Kathleen was active in the Caddo Presbyterian Church, Camp Fire Girls and Caddo school and civic activities throughout her life. For many years, she and Joe helped run and maintain the Caddo Cemetery. Kathy was a charter member of the Caddo nursing home board during the planning and building process, and served for 25 years. She loved Caddo, and if she could volunteer in some capacity to better the town, she did.
Survivors include her sister Malinda Cloud of Rule, TX; daughters Jan Meadows of Norman, Neila and husband Dan Pannell of Overland Park, and LaNan and husband Clay Deaton of Houston, TX. She was, as she often said, "sinfully proud" of her grandchildren Lissa Pannell McKinnis and husband Elliott of West Lafayette, IN; Caleb Pannell and wife Theresa of Noblesville, IN; Zachary, Sara and Amy Deaton of Houston, and Allie Pannell of Overland Park, as well as seven great-grandchildren Emma, Tate and Coleman McKinnis of West Lafayette, IN and Owen, Jonah, Ezra and Theodore Pannell of Noblesville, IN. She was predeceased by her husband Joe, her parents, a baby sister and three brothers, Ralph, Ronald and Tim Jones.
A celebration of Kathleen's life will be held Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. at the Caddo Presbyterian Church. She will be interred in Caddo in a private family burial. Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. The family suggests memorials to the Caddo Educational Foundation, P. O. Box 82, or the Caddo Civic and Cemetery Club, P. O. Box 224, or the Caddo Community Association, P. O. Box 355, all in Caddo, OK 74729., or a charity of the donor's choice.
Family and friends may send online condolences and view tributes at www.holmescoffeymurray.com.
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma CemeteriesThe information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.