Karen Regina Meadows of Columbia, SC formerly of Charleston, WV went home to be with the Lord on June 30, 2015. She was born on October 22, 1949 to Robert “Gay” and Louise Marslender in Omar, WV, where she grew up and is remembered for wearing her cherished Brownie uniform as much as possible. She was the youngest of four children and remained close with her brothers: Daniel of Holland, MI, Bob of Hattiesburg, MS and John of Las Vegas, NV.
Karen was a graduate of Logan High School in 1967. She then started college where she was elected Miss Marshall University-Logan Branch. Karen married Ken Meadows, whom had grown up one street over, in 1970 and went on to have two children: Michael (Jennifer) of Columbia, SC and Cherese (Brandon) Lee of Kingsport, TN. One of her greatest joys in life (other than dessert) was being a grandmother to David, Luke, Noah, Tessa, & Elizabeth Lee and Beckett Meadows. She will always be remembered for setting up elaborate and fun make-believe worlds for them to play in, taking them on picnics, letting them lick the beaters, snuggling, telling the best bedtime stories and being ready for any and all adventures.
Karen held many jobs throughout her lifetime and always enjoyed the new challenge and excitement that a career change brought. Through the years of working and raising her children, she continued to work on her dream of a college degree. In 2004 her hard work paid off and she graduated from Wheeling Jesuit University with a degree in Human Resource Management. Her face as she walked across that stage summed up what graduating meant to her.
Karen’s favorite job was certainly as a volunteer with the Tuesday Crew at Habitat for Humanity of Kanawha County. On her weekly Habitat days she was eager to work on the big labor jobs. She quickly became skilled with a hammer, learned to tile, and perfected her already great skill of painting. Karen loved a big project and was always getting her hands dirty. She used the skills she learned at Habitat to build a grand staircase for her grandsons’ treehouse and tile many a family kitchen. She will be remembered as the first to offer help, always ready with a smile, seeing the positive, blessing others through deed and baked goods, excellent keeper of secrets and lover of surprises. Karen believed that birthdays should always be a HUGE deal and made everyone promise to always do so. Her legacy will live on through her beloved husband of 45 years, her children, grandchildren, brothers, numerous nieces and nephews, and friends who were like family. She is surely enjoying heaven while rocking her sweet baby grandson Jack Griffin “Finn” (Meadows) and watching Murder She Wrote with Yorkie Meadows. A celebration of her life will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church in South Charleston, WV. Visitation will be Monday July 6th from 6-8pm. Funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday July 7th at 10am. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetary in Pecks Mill, WV. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to:
The Luke Lee Listening, Language and Learning Lab
c/o Marshall University Foundation
519 John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV 25703