Edith "Erlene" (Kilmer) Meier

Erlene was born on January 17, 1953 at Alva General Hospital in Alva, Oklahoma to Earl William Kilmer and Edith Grace (Ent) Kilmer.  She was the youngest of three children—two brothers (Stanley Jay and Terry Earl).  Erlene was raised in Laverne, Oklahoma and attended Laverne Elementary School.  Both her parents taught at Laverne Public Schools.  Her mom, Edith Grace, was a first grade teacher, and her father, Earl William, was a math teacher, coach, and principal.  She continued at Laverne Public Schools where she was involved in band, FHA, Pep Club, Beta Club, and Honor Society.  She graduated from Laverne High School with the Class of 1971.

Erlene attended Northwestern State College and followed in her parents’ footsteps as she became a teacher.  During college, she was a member of Red and Black Scroll Honor Society.  She graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.  She pursued a specialty in math and was certified to teach high school math as well as junior high and elementary classes.

Erlene began her teaching career in 1975 by teaching math at Cedarvale, Kansas.  In 1976, she was then offered a position at Laverne High School and began her storied career at Laverne. She was a past member of Oklahoma Education Association, National Education Association, and Laverne Education Association and a current member of Professional Oklahoma Educators.  She attended teaching conferences and workshops every summer, which helped to receive equipment grants for her classroom and school.  While teaching at Laverne, she also served as cheerleading coach and junior class sponsor, decorating for numerous proms, organizing Homecoming chili suppers, and running concession stands at basketball games and other sports.  She taught for forty-five years before her sudden passing. 

On May 14, 1982, Erlene married the love of her life, Tommie Ray Meier. Erlene and Tommie had two children, Tamara Rae and Michael David.  Both of her children attended Laverne Public Schools where she taught them math, and as with all her students, she taught the importance of hard work and dedication.  She believed in her students and knew that anyone could learn math (or succeed in life) by putting in the work and never giving up.

Erlene enjoyed teaching math, solving Sudoku puzzles, reading books, watching sports, and supporting her Laverne Tigers. As a devoted daughter, she first helped take care of her mother and later took care of her father as their health declined. She was a follower of Jesus, she prayed and read her Bible daily, and she attended Sunday school and Bible study at church.  She grew up going to the Laverne First Christian Church, went to Darrouzett St. Paul’s Lutheran Church after she was married, and currently attended Laverne United Methodist Church.

On March 30, 2020, at the age of sixty-seven years, Edith Erlene Meier was surrounded by her loving family as she left for her heavenly home.  Erlene was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Edith Kilmer.  She is survived by her husband Tommie Meier of Laverne, Oklahoma; son Michael Meier of Huntsville, Alabama; daughter Tamara (Meier) Brunk and husband Nick of Ardmore, Oklahoma; two brothers—Stan Kilmer of Norman, Oklahoma, and Terry Kilmer and wife Mary of Geyserville, California; numerous cousins and other relatives; and past students, faculty, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a memorial scholarship fund at the Bank of Laverne PO Box 1147 Laverne, OK 73848.

Memorial service will be held at a later date.