Lily Meier, 88, Hays, died Friday, December 9, 2016 at the Hays Good Samaritan Society.

She was born August 5, 1928 on the family farm north of Victoria, the daughter of Joseph and Salomia “Sally” (Rohleder) Dinkel. She graduated from Victoria High School in 1947. On October 8, 1955 she married Ralph Meier at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays. He preceded her in death on May 31, 1974. She worked at Western Power in Great Bend, Kansas until moving to Hays after the death of her husband. She was a Customer Service Representative at Midwest Energy in Hays for many years. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, the Daughters of Isabella, the VFW, St. John’s, and Hays Medical Center Auxiliaries, and was a volunteer at the Ellis County Historical Society. She was a friend of the Hays Public Library, was a Perpetual Adorer for many years, and enjoyed volunteering for numerous church functions and community events. She was a wordsmith, a historian, and was very artistic in doing all kinds of crafts. She enjoyed reading, bowling, crossword puzzles, and she enjoyed Halloween and decorating for the holidays. She loved spending time with her family, friends, and grandchildren.

Survivors include two sons; Mike Meier and wife Roberta of Beloit, Kansas, and David Meier of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, a daughter; Kathy Meier of Hays, six grandchildren; Matt Meier, Kurtis Meier, Kristen Meier, Elizabeth Meier, Vince Meier, and Kevan Meier, three sisters; Mary Ann Doerfler of Hays, Joanne Steinert and husband Sid of Munjor, Darlene Pfannenstiel of Shawnee, KS, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a brother; Kenneth Dinkel, and two sisters; Dolores Tremblay and Patricia Brungardt.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Thursday, December 15, 2016 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine Street. Burial will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 8:00 on Wednesday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Thursday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A parish vigil service will be at 5:30 pm, followed by a combined Daughters of Isabella and VFW Auxiliary rosary at 6:30 pm, all on Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested in Lily’s memory to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church or to the Cancer Council of Ellis County, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com or via email at [email protected]