May 1, 2009
People of Faith
By Wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established; through knowledge it is filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
— Proverbs 24:3
People of Faith is a new feature in a familiar frame. Steve Halbig, writing for the Message, will ask a series of questions of people in the diocese — some who have reached the “age of wisdom” and some who are younger. All will share stories of their faith.
Name: Kathryn Meyer
Parish: Mary, Help of Christians at Mariah Hill
Number of children, grandchildren: I have chosen to remain single
Have you lived in southern Indiana all your life? I have lived in the same house I was born in 77 years ago. I was the youngest of seven children of Louis and Bertha (Brenner) Meyer. My mother died when I was seven. She died on her forty-ninth birthday and was buried on my father’s forty-ninth birthday. My father never remarried, so my oldest sister (16 years my senior) took over the household duties. When I was a junior in high school, I assumed those duties.
Tell us a few things about yourself: I graduated from Dale High School, took a short course at Purdue, then was a milk taster for the Dairy Herd Improvement Association in Warrick and Spencer counties. I then worked for 2 1/2 years at a Frozen Food Locker. After that, I began a 20-year stint as bookkeeper at Dale High School and Heritage Hills High School and five years for a coal company. I’m now living a very contented and busy life with my dog Silkey on the 200-acre homestead. We still keep it running with the help of the greatest neighbors you could have: Louis, Gary, Chad and Becky Seifert. I have a small flock of chickens, and I keep the herd of beef cattle belonging to my neighbors in the feedlot watered. I still like to drive the tractor to mow hay, etc. I still maintain a grape arbor my parents planted 90 years ago and raise a garden. I love country life!
What are some of your earliest childhood memories? I remember when I started to school there was a one-room school, eight grades, real close to our home where all six of my siblings went. So mother thought I should start there also as it was closing that year. I wasn’t six until the following March. There weren’t such strict school age rules then. The next five years I went to St. Joe at Dale, then the Dale Public, graduating from Dale High. Go Golden Aces. One of my fellow classmates was Father Donald Dilger.
What are your memories of World War II? I do remember the Pearl Harbor attack. I was 10 at the time, listening to the radio for news and finding out a sailor from Dale was killed. The very next day we had good news. After trying so long to get electricity, the electric company finally started putting up a line. By Christmas we had lights and a very Merry Christmas. Later on, my oldest brother joined the Navy. There were many letters written and prayers said and he returned home safe.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I never had special plans. I guess you would say I went with the flow. I always felt responsibility to Dad to make a home for him. I was involved in a lot of activities. I was in 4-H Club, CYO, Farm Bureau and Rural Youth. My biggest achievement in Rural Youth was when I won the state speaking contest.
Who influenced you growing up? This is hard to answer; there are too many contacts in the road of life. I would say the main one was my sister Helen (she was also my godmother) when she took over the household when my mother died.
Do you have any hobbies? How do you stay active? I enjoy making quilts and quilting with the ladies at the parish center in the wintertime. I enjoy watching sports and attending high school sports, especially football and basketball. [She has been a bingo caller for years at the church picnic, a Eucharistic minister for 27 years and in St. Vincent DePaul for 21 years. She has been on the church finance committee, a rosary leader, a recipient of the Brute Society Award in 1996 and the Mother Teresa Award in 2008.]
What is your first memory of church? One of the odd things as the first memory of church was we had pew rent. Every family had their own pew, so you best not get in the wrong pew or you might get a very unfriendly look! I also remember during Lent we had Stations of the Cross on Wednesday and Friday evenings. Since this was during the war when there was a gas shortage, we would walk, which was two and a half miles. Those were the good old days!
What do you like most about being Catholic? I am very happy that I was born to a Catholic family and raised that way, as I feel it is the true church. I have many friends in other religions, and I truly respect them, as we are all aiming for the same place.
If you could make one change in your community, what would it be? In our church community, it would be great to have a greater percentage of people attend church regularly and participate.
Do you have a favorite saint? A favorite religious item? Our patron at Mariah Hill, Mary, Help of Christians. I love the rosary; that is why I am a rosary leader.
Any regrets in life? I have no real regrets. Of course, there are some bumps in the road of life, but I feel like I have had a good life.
What is your best wisdom on life? Keep active and participate as much as possible. It keeps you young.