Bickmore, West Virginia – Kathryn R. Meyer-Fortner. “Family is not just about blood….but who is willing to hold your hand when you need it most”. Kathy passed away on August 11, 2013 in her home after a long battle with breast cancer. She was born May 6, 1963 in Sandusky, Ohio. While living in the Norwalk area, she worked for the City of Norwalk, Water Department, and the Norwalk Raceway Park. She was a graduate of St. Paul High School and E.H.O.V.E. Joint Vocational School in 1981. Kathy twirled baton most of her childhood and could still pick up a stick and twirl it in her fingers, smile, and say, “I’ve still got it”. While visiting West Virginia in the past years, she fell in love with the area and its traditions and people. That’s when the move began.
Kathy was a member of the Fola Missionary Baptist Church, a former member of the Clay County Library Board, member and former secretary of the Clay County Historical Society, and worked part time for the Clay County Post Office. She enjoyed her hobby farm and worked tirelessly with the animals, gardening, landscaping, crocheting, crafts, genealogy, and enjoyed the beauty all around her. Her generous heart went out to anyone in need and she was always willing to help whenever she could with a smile.
She is survived by her husband, and soul mate, Charles G. Fortner of Bickmore, West Virginia; by her daughter, Crystal (Josh) Swartz of Indiana; by her sisters, Lisa (Ed) Leroux and Michelle (Todd) Kenne, both of Norwalk, Ohio and Lelena Buderer and Katharine Buderer of Pioneer, Tennessee; by her brothers, Richard Meyer of Sandusky, Ohio and Tim Leroux of Norwalk, Ohio; by her granddaughter, Alyssa Swartz, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is also survived by her father and step mother, Fred (Carol) Meyer of Norwalk, Ohio, and by her step mother, Lynn Buderer and her finance, Denny Kemp of Pioneer, Tennessee, and by the Metheney, Maurer, Fortner, Gilbert, and Hanson gangs of Hico, West Virginia, Norwalk, Ohio, and Clay County, West Virginia, and all of her loving friends of the Norwalk area who became family.
The family would like to thank Trista Rush, R.N., Hospice, Coty Nichols, Mike and Terre Moore, Delania Drake, Bridget McLaughlin, Jill and Tim Dorsey, Judy and Mike Bears, the Hartley Oil Family of Ravenswood, West Virginia, and the entire community who surrounded her with their love and support.
Kathy was preceded in death by her mother, Irene A. (Schaffer) Meyer in 1997, by Dean T. Buderer in 2006, by her maternal grandparents, Anthony and Frieda (Hauler) Schaffer, of Monroeville, Ohio, by her paternal grandparents, Roman and Helen (Stieber) Meyer of Monroeville, Ohio, and Irv and Wilma Buderer of Hartland, Ohio, and by her Godparents, Harold (Kathy) Camp of Monroeville ,Ohio.
As per Kathy’s wish, cremation has taken place in Ohio. Memorial services will be held on Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. in the Fola Missionary Baptist Church, Bickmore, West Virginia. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care Center, 1606 West Kanawha Blvd., Charleston West Virginia 25387. Without their help, care, and love, her final days would not have been as she wished, or to Charles Fortner, P.O. Box 226, Bickmore, West Virginia 25019. Walker Funeral Home, 98 West Main Street, Norwalk, Ohio is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made by going to www.edwalkerfuneralhome.com.
