Kathryn Meissner, 100, of Hayes, Va., passed away Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012.

Kathryn was born in Fort Myers, Fla. Her family moved to the Peninsula in 1920, when she was nine, and she lived here until she moved with her husband Russell to the Panama Canal Zone, where they lived for 40 years, until his retirement in 1971.

Upon his retirement they moved back to the Peninsula and made their home in Hayes. While in Panama, she was active in civic affairs. She helped with Pedro Miguel Girl Scouts and was past president of Pedro Miguel Federated Woman’s Club. She was a member of Balboa Union Church, Orchid Chapter #1 Order of Eastern Star, Past President of Panama Canal Branch of National League of Pen Women, and a member of Gem and Mineral Society.

She and her husband and children were avid deep-sea fishermen.

While living in Hayes, she was a member of Bethany United Methodist Church, Abingdon Woman’s Club, and the Panama Canal Society. For many years, she was a member of a weekly bridge group.

Kathryn was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Russell Meissner; her son Carl, who also retired from the Panama Canal Company; a grandson, Kurt Meissner, and eight siblings.

She is survived by her daughter, Adele Meissner of Tampa, Fla.; three grandchildren, Rusty Meissner of Hayes, Denise Collins of Charleston, S.C., and Brian Meissner of Clearwater, Fla.; nine great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

A funeral service was held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, in the chapel of Amory Funeral Home, Grafton. Interment followed in Rosewell Memorial Gardens. The family received friends one hour prior to the service in the funeral home.