PIERCETON – Our mother Alice Meeks died on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at Lake City Place in Warsaw at the age of 99 years and 9 months.
She was born in Pierceton at the Chrissy Hospital to Ruth Vancuren Headlee and Harvey Headlee. She lived in Monroe Township with her brothers Howard and Bob and attended Monroe Central School until April 25, 1938. She graduated from Pierceton High School with the class of 1942, with some members missing because they had enlisted to fight in World War II.
She was engaged to our dad, Junior Meeks, before he left for the war. They met when she babysat for the Leifer family who lived across the street from Dad and our grandparents. They married on April 21, 1946, and shared 53 years together until Dad died on Dec. 11, 1999.
Mom was “Rosie the Riveter” at Arnolt’s and Dalton factories during the war but did not work outside our home on Catholic Street until we were older. She worked at Roger’s Pharmacy, Wicoxson’s Store and then K-Mart from which she retired in 1985.
She attended the Boonville Church before joining the Presbyterian Church in Pierceton. She was an elder, deacon, taught Sunday school, worked at Harvest Home, was a member of the Anita Gregson Circle, was the church’s representative to Presbytery and sang in the choir until Macular Degeneration took her sight. Mom served on the first board of directors that established the nursery school, which is still serving children in the community.
On Jan. 1, 1945, she joined the American Legion Auxiliary and was a lifetime member. She held various positions including president. She was also a Girl Scout leader, member of the Pierceton Home Ec Club and Lions.
We are certain she felt her biggest accomplishment was working with Donna Orr, Shirley Krueger and Ray Werstler, along with a variety of other Pierceton residents, to establish and furnish the Senior Center which opened in March of 2001. Having the Senior Center opened up a whole new world to residents.
She enjoyed reading, completing puzzles, but she LOVED playing cards, especially euchre! She was a lifelong Democrat.
In 2016 she moved to Lake City Place in Warsaw. She found a second family there. That family took care of her as they would their own. We are forever grateful for the care she received over the years. Jamie and Misty deserve special thanks for being there for Mom for nearly all seven years.
Mom was preceded in death by her parents, brothers and their wives, Jeanette and Jeanette; her mother-in-law, Mabel Johnson; son-in-law, Richard Beeching; and nephew, Dan Headlee.
She is survived by her son-in-law, Richard Silverman; grandchildren: Jennifer (Andy) Gaines, Spencer (Sarah) Beeching, Leslie (Tom) Shiel, David (Silvana) Silverman, Brittany (Cole) Davis and Richelle (Anthony) Serrano; great-grandchildren: Austin, Jackson, Lawson and Ben Beeching, Chloe and Zennon Gaines, Anna Shiel, Isaiah Silverman, Dominick Johnson, Lita Davis and Revyara Serrano; nephew, Dennis (Joan) Headlee; and niece, Charlotte Carson; and us her children: Elaine, Sue and Rick.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 29 from 5-7 p.m. at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels, 105 S. First St., Pierceton.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. at Pierceton Presbyterian Church, 309 S. First St., Pierceton, with Pastor David Crowley officiating. Visitation will resume one hour prior in the church.
Family burial in the Hillcrest Cemetery, Pierceton.
Memorial contributions can be made in her memory to Pierceton Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 345, Pierceton, IN 46562; or Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061-0515.
Condolences may be sent to the family through the website: www.mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com.