Katharyn "Kathy" Meese

Katharyn "Kathy" Meese, 81, of rural Oblong, IL, passed away at home on Sunday, December 21, 2025, held by the love she spent a lifetime giving away. She was born on April 20, 1944, north of Cisney, IL, into a world that taught her early how to live simply and well. She grew up in a small home, sleeping on rollaway beds and couches, never having a true bed of her own until she was married. It was not a childhood of excess, but it was rich in stories and sturdy joys. A loyal dog named Queeny slept beneath her crib, standing guard like a sentry, and a mischievous goose made every trip to the outhouse an adventure. These were the kinds of beginnings that shaped Kathy. Life did not have to be easy to be good.

When she was five, her family moved to Stoy, and from there her life unfolded steadily. She graduated from Oblong High School with the Class of 1962, and just weeks later, on June 3, she married Garry "Bojack" Meese. They spent time in Virginia during Garry's military service before returning home to Oblong, where they raised their family and created a home that became a gathering place for children, grandchildren, and anyone who happened to wander in.

Kathy worked for nineteen years at Hershey, first on the Payday line and later on the Zero line, where things stayed a little cleaner. But her most meaningful work was always done in her home, especially her kitchen. Her house greeted each morning with the smell of bacon and eggs, and each afternoon with snacks waiting after school. Cookies, brownies, pudding cups, whatever was needed that day, it was there. Her kitchen told the story of her heart. She canned tomatoes, beets, and corn, and she became especially known for her sweet pickles. And it is probably no surprise that her pickles were sweet. After all, Kathy had a sweet tooth, and she wore it honestly. Dessert was never an afterthought in her house. It was part of the welcome. At Christmas, she made countless batches of peanut brittle, fudge, divinity, and cookies to share with her family and friends.

Sharing was never something she did. It was simply how she lived. And it followed her everywhere, especially into her church family at Bible Chapel Christian Church. Kathy served as secretary, baked her famous pies for the Turkey Noodle Dinner, and taught Bible school, but her favorite way of pouring into kids was beautifully practical. In Bible school, most of her time was spent at the craft table, guiding little hands through plaster of Paris, wood projects, and all the small creations that somehow became bigger than they looked.

Kathy's hands were always busy, and they always seemed to be busy for someone else. She embroidered and cross-stitched, following patterns with the same patient steadiness she brought to everything she loved. She worked jigsaw puzzles until they were complete, then glued them down and passed them along as gifts. She did not just keep herself occupied. She kept giving, turning time and attention into something beautiful you could hold.

And Kathy loved doing life that way, but she also loved the outdoors and a world that felt wide again. Her travels let her watch the scenery change and collect small moments that turned into lasting memories. Disney World in 2010 brought its own kind of wonder. In 2021, she headed southwest, taking in Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and time with her cousin Sharon in Arizona. She later cruised to Alaska with her family, soaking up the beauty and the togetherness. For Kathy, the best part of any trip was never just the destination. It was being with her people along the way. She also found that same joy closer to home through camping, with trips to Pounds Hollow, Spring Mill, and Sherwood Forest. When she and Garry retired, they picked out a camper with an outdoor kitchen, the kind of detail she appreciated because it meant she could feed people, gather them close, and make a place feel like home, even under open skies.

After Garry's death, her son, Gary Wayne, took the camper, and Kathy went right on camping, letting that chapter continue in a new way. She still loved the open sky, the routine of setting up, the simple comfort of meals shared close together. And when she was home again, she kept doing what she had always done. She tended. She cared for what was entrusted to her. She loved mowing her yard and kept at it for as long as she was allowed, taking quiet pride in keeping things in order. That instinct ran deeper than grass lines in a yard. It was the same instinct that shaped the way she loved her family, steady, attentive, always looking for what needed doing.

She showed up for her family again and again, especially for her grandchildren. She was there for ballgames, band concerts, 4-H, and whatever else had their names on it. At home, Kathy loved the kind of togetherness you cannot schedule, only make room for. Her house was a place where people gathered and stayed a while, where the table filled up, where conversation lingered, and where games were never far behind. The dice game Forget It was her favorite, but Uno, Pit, and Spoons all had their turn, and that is when her competitive side would come out, usually right along with her laugh. New Year's Eve became its own tradition at her home, complete with finger foods, popcorn balls, and one more game before midnight. Because for Kathy, time together was not just something to enjoy when life slowed down. It was the main thing, the joy she kept building her days around.

But beneath all the meals and games and open doors, Kathy carried a deeper joy. She loved Jesus. His love shaped the life she lived and the hope she held. Her wish was that those she loved would know and love the Savior she now knows face-to-face. And because of that, we do not grieve without hope. We have not lost Kathy. We know exactly where she is. She is with Him. She is home.

She is survived by her two daughters & sons-in-law, Evelyn Marie & Carl Wiseman (St. Francisville, IL) and Becky & Harold Guyer (Robinson, IL); her son, Gary Wayne & Jeniffer Meese (Solsberry, IN); her seven grandchildren, Derek Gill, Alisha Huddleston, Amanda & Jesse Bond, Damien Wiseman & Samantha Utley, Dylan Enochs & Tiana Prall, Nicholas Meese, and Blake & Audrey Meese; her three step-grandchildren, Stephanie Guyer, Chris Guyer, and Alex & Kaitlyn Guyer; her eleven great-grandchildren, Chevelle Bond, Cayle Bond, Clayton Bond, Malachi Starr, Jacob Wiseman, Joshua Wiseman, Jasper Bond, Leighton Bond, Rylan Prall, Owen Meese, and Branson Meese; her step-great-grandchildren, Elyse Guyer and Mavryk Guyer; her siblings, Wayne & wife Sue Lackey and Loretta Sexton; her brother-in-law, Dwight Pethtel; as well as several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Garry "Bojack" Lee Meese; her parents, Perry & Bertha (King) Lackey; her brother, Herbert Lackey (in infancy); her sister, Nina Pethtel; and her brother-in-law, Harold Sexton.

A time of visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 26th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 27th, at the funeral home, with burial following in the Shire Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to "Bible Chapel Church", with memorial envelopes available at the funeral home.