Kathryn Meiman

Kathryn (Kay) Meiman née Lukens, formerly of Fairfield, CT passed away on February 27 at age 92, in Bridgeport surrounded by family and the music she loved.

Born in Philadelphia to Clyde and Kathryn Lukens as the youngest of four children, Kay received her Bachelors at Villanova, her Masters at Columbia, and taught at Univ of Texas. While in Texas she met the love of her life, Philip, and moved to Fairfield, CT to raise her family. For the duration of her life, Kay was enveloped by her sense of family, food, fun, music, and community. Her career followed the development of personhood: from nurse in early childhood development, years as a substitute in high school, to concluding her career at the Fairfield Senior Center - throughout it all she enthusiastically grew her family and community. She advocated tirelessly for education advancements, arts and music in our schools, and was a founding protector of Fairfield Youth Orchestra. She ended her teaching career at Mercy Learning Center ensuring people of all ages were able to achieve high school GED. She was at the forefront of championing social justice and peace issues, equality for all, and human rights. She is often remembered pounding the piano for singalongs, making jam in the kitchen, or knitting warm sweaters by the woodburning stove. After raising her five daughters, she particularly enjoyed traveling the world with her beloved husband Phil, bird watching, and adventuring around the U.S. The final years of her life moved from Fairfield to Bridgeport where she was in the good care and built community with the dedicated staff at Mozaic nursing home (formerly The Jewish Home).

Kay is preceded in death by her husband, Phil Meiman. She is survived and remembered by her children, Mary Kathryn Kenney (David), Anne Hughes (Tim), Susan Meiman, Meg Layton (George), and Betsy Parker (Richard); her grandchildren Philip Kenney, Samuel Kenney, George Layton, and Katy Layton. Kay outlived her brothers and their spouses, but is fondly loved by a great abundance of nieces, nephews and extended family, who affectionately remember "Aunt Katy".

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 20 at 10am St. Pius X Church, 834 Brookside Drive, Fairfield. A Celebration of Life reception/refreshments will follow the Mass. Interment will be private. Friends may call on Thursday, March 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield. 

In lieu of flowers, family has requested that individuals support a cause near and dear to Kay and assist in relieving food insecurity by making a donation to their local food bank. Donations that support additional research towards a cure for Alzheimer's can be made in her name at https://www.alz.org/manh/about/the-giving-spirit.