Jeannie (Meador) Thrasher (1947-2024)
Jeannie (Meador) Thrasher passed away peacefully in Wilson, Kan., on Feb. 8, 2024, at the age of 76. She was born on April 3, 1947, in Anthony, Kan., to Warren and Marcy (Vancyoc) Meador.
Jeannie told stories of growing up in Anthony, working at her parents’ grocery store, running a fireworks stand every Fourth of July (she and her siblings got to shoot off the leftovers), the time her brother Pete broke his leg and how she spent the next few months pulling him around town in a wagon and cruising around Anthony in her parents’ car with her best friends during high school without actually having a license.
Jeannie was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church. She was the dictionary definition of a people person and loved visiting with friends. She was an expert seamstress and sewed a wide variety of items, including two bell-bottom leisure suits for her brother Stu to wear to his prom (one of which was powder blue), green and purple jumpsuits when her sons were in grade school and a Snoopy backpack for her daughter. She could make a mean no-bake chocolate cookie. She loved playing cards, especially pitch and Shanghai Rummy, and loved to laugh.
Jeannie attended Emporia State University where she met her husband, Darrell Thrasher, who was back to college earning a master’s degree. They married in 1969 and she moved to Wilson, where he was already teaching school. The Thrashers briefly moved to Harper, Kan., from 1973-1977 before returning to Wilson. She worked for many years as a para at Wilson High School, from where she retired in 2013. For several years, she operated Balloon Jeannie, a balloon arrangement business, delivering balloons throughout Wilson and bringing smiles to countless faces.
Jeannie is preceded in death by her husband Darrell; parents Warren and Marcy; sister Ann (Meador) Mortimer; brother Dr. Pete Meador; and sister-in-laws JoEllen, Maureen and Pam.
She is survived by her brother Stu Meador (Leslie), Marion; sons Shawn Thrasher (Scott Farthing), Anaheim, Calif., and Pat Thrasher, Wilson; daughter Jennifer (Thrasher) Thomas (Bruce), Silver Lake; five grandchildren, McKenzie Ingham, Kamdyn Thrasher, Teagan Thrasher, Kaiden Thomas and Tyler Thomas; three great-grandchildren, Granger Ingham, Kash Ingham and Reece Ingham; and many nieces and nephews.
A graveside celebration of life service will be held Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Wilson Cemetery. The family will greet friends following the service at Wilson United Methodist Church.
Memorials are suggested to the Wilson Senior Center and may be sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, P.O. Box 533, Wilson, KS 67490.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.plumeroverlease.com.