Her marriage to John ended in divorce in 1976 and Carla saw this as a time to put herself into working for community causes that she felt very strongly about. She retired from Pharmacia after 15 years of service as an Executive Administrative Assistant in the Medicinal Chemistry section of Research and Development, in downtown Kalamazoo. For as long as her children can remember, Carla was always “connected” – the authority on what was going on where, and with whom.Īs the children grew older, Carla decided to work outside the home, being employed at both Gilmore’s and Borgess Hospital. She instilled her values of family, church, work and community service in all her children. Carla saw a good education as an essential part of her children’s upbringing, and was proud of their achievements. They studied local history and attended local plays and fine art productions. They made trips to the Smithsonian Institute and the National Gallery of Arts in Washington, D.C. Carla felt it important to expose her children to the arts. Son Andrew recalled that his mom was the one who taught him to throw a baseball. She made it a point to be involved in all of her children’s activities, whether they were athletic or artistic. Carla was the consummate stay-at-home mom. Their union produced four wonderful children – sons Michael, Stephen, and Andrew, and daughter, Holly. John was a salesman and the couple moved around a bit before he accepted a position in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1963. The couple was married on August 1, 1961, one day shy of Carla’s 27th birthday. An attraction blossomed, and over time a courtship ensued. They got to know each other while on a skiing date party at Boyne Mountain. Carla was a sorority girl at Miami and John was a fraternity boy at Xavier in Cincinnati. While in college, she met her future husband, John Meister. She met some of her favorites, Gregory Peck, Elizabeth Taylor and even got her picture taken with Dean Martin. Her love for acting was the driving force behind a trip with her girlfriends to Hollywood, CA. After graduation, Carla attended Miami of Ohio in Oxford, Ohio and the University of Cincinnati. Sadly, her beloved father Carl died when she was 18. Ursula Catholic Academy where she was active in school plays. Carla was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio where her and her sister Betsy were very close. Carla was dearly loved by her parents and her father often referred to her as “Mickey”, a reference to Mickey Mouse. Two years later the family would be complete with the birth of Carla’s sister, Betsy. On August 2, 1934, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Carl and Neva (Young) Boehm were excitedly awaiting the birth of their first child – daughter Carla Adele.
This seemed a fitting background for the birth of Carla Adele Meister, a woman who would instill a love of the arts in her children and support such endeavors with her time and talent. The “Federal Music Project” supported the musical arts and sponsored performances of both classical and popular compositions. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is The Night and John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. Many of America’s most distinguished writers produced works of fiction during the thirties – writers like F. Struggling artists, like Grant Wood, famous for his work, “American Gothic”, were supported by such government programs as the “Public Works of Art Project” and the “Federal Art Project”. In the 1930’s, the fine arts, like everything else, were dominated by the Great Depression. She spent her life working tirelessly both inside and outside the home, but was always able to enjoy the simple beauties in life. She was a spirited and loving mother and grandmother, who gave selflessly to enrich the lives of those around her. Carla Adele Meister was a special woman – devoted to her family and her faith.
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