Mary Kathryn (Meister) Lancaster

Mary Kathryn (Meister) Lancaster, 73, of Key Colony Beach, Fla., died peacefully on July 10, 2022 with family by her side.

Kathy was born April 30, 1949 in Lansing, Mich. to Edward and Kathryn Meister.

As a child, Kathy loved spending summers with her grandparents at Old Mission Peninsula, Mich. She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy High School in Mount Pleasant, Mich. where she was a cheerleader. Kathy earned a BA in English from Central Michigan University, an MA in school counseling from Eastern Michigan University, and received a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Walden University.

An avid equestrian and advocate for children, Kathy authored several books and articles about adoption and about horses. She competed on the Hunter Jumper circuit at the state and national level and won a state and several regional competitions. Kathy was part owner and instructor at Foxfire Farms and Lancaster Farms.

Kathy was a lifelong educator who held multiple positions throughout the years, which include being a teacher at Tecumseh High School, Tecumseh, Mich.; the director of Grace Jones Community Day Care Center, Marathon, Fla.; and a teacher, school counselor, and librarian at Marathon Middle/High School, Marathon, Fla.

Kathy is survived by her loving husband, George H. Lancaster; her children, Christine Lancaster, George E. (Karen) Lancaster, Jonathon (Samantha Young) Lancaster, and Thomas Lancaster; grandsons, Tim, George D., Jimmy, John, Cooper, and Jaylan; siblings, Thomas (Eileen) Meister, Maureen Kennedy, and Christopher (Kathleen) Meister; and many nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial service will be held on August 7 at 2 p.m. at St. Columba Episcopal Church, 451 52nd St. Gulf, Marathon, Fla. A second memorial service will be held on Friday, Sept.2, with a visitation from noon to 2 p.m. and a service beginning at 2 p.m. at the Handler Funeral Home, 302 N. Jackson St., Clinton, Mich. Inurnment will follow the service at Riverside Cemetery, Clinton, Mich.

In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome at Marathon Fire and Rescue, Marathon, Fla., ci.marathon.fl.us/firerescue or Two Wild Hearts Sanctuary and Equine Rescue, wildheartssanctuary.org, in Clinton, Mich. Online condolences may be offered to the family at handlerfuneralhomes.com.