Meredith Caffey

Funeral service for Meredith Joyce Caffey will be held 2:00 pm Thursday, August 20, 2015 at MMS-Payne Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Scott Johnson from Church on the Move will officiate. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 1-8 pm, with family receiving friends from 6-8 pm.

Meredith passed away Saturday, August 15, 2015 at the age of 79, with Kelly, Kyla, Phil and Kathy by her side.

The daughter of Gilbert and Marjorie Bridgeford, Meredith was born February 23, 1936 in St. Joseph, Missouri. She loved playing at Krug Park and returned there to visit regularly in her adult years. While still young, Meredith's family moved to San Pedro, California. This was her favorite place to live. She was very close to her brother, Kinney, as well as her mother who was a nurse and her father who was a city architect. She enjoyed spending time with extended family she had in various cities in California. It was in San Pedro that she met a young serviceman named Phillip "Gene" Caffey in May, 1952, while he was home on leave. Meredith had seen him at the skating rink and when she met him sometime later through a mutual friend, it was truly love at first sight. They began dating and when Gene's leave ended and he left San Pedro, he proposed to Meredith by letter. When he returned home in July, they became engaged and then married on August 31, 1952. They were married for 51 years, until Gene passed away on December 4, 2003.

Over the next several years Meredith would follow Gene to wherever the Air Force sent him, such as Taipei, Taiwan and then San Antonio, Texas. They adopted Kelly while stationed in Taiwan and five years later, Phil was born in San Antonio. In 1968, Gene retired from the Air Force and the family moved to Fountain Valley, California for several years. Back in California, Meredith was again surrounded with extended family that she enjoyed. They frequented Disneyland, the beach and other family activities in southern California. In August 1974, the family relocated to Claremore, Oklahoma, where Gene lived in his youth and attended Claremore High School. Meredith continued working in medical offices, working for several local doctors such as Larry Hrdlicka, Larry Young, Warner Marlar and Henry Wittenberg. Meredith was blessed to work with several people who became dear and close friends, especially Dee Hildebrand and Betty Steidley, trusted friends of 40 years. Meredith continued her friendship of 55 years with Norma Kawainui, her lifelong friend that she met while their families were both stationed in Taiwan.

Meredith loved cooking and was well-known for making wonderful meals. Everyone was welcome at Meredith's home and often showed up at dinner time. Friends of her children were always welcome to eat, swim and hang out at the Caffey's house. Over the years she also pursued her hobbies of sewing, needlework, ceramics, crocheting and crafting. She was kind and generous to not only family and friends, but to everyone she encountered. Loyalty came natural to her and she was a blessing to many. The things she valued most were God, family and country.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert "Earl" and Marjorie LaVaughn Bridgeford ("Nana"); husband, Gene Caffey; brother, Aaron Kinsey ("Kinney") Bridgeford; nephew, Michael Bridgeford and niece, Lynn Brendeland.

Survivors include her daughter, Kelly L. Caffey of Claremore; son, Phil Caffey and wife Katherine of Mustang; grandchildren, Kyla Joyce Caffey and Tye Scott Ringo; and nephews whom she loved and helped raise as her own children, Glenn Bridgeford and wife Beth of South Carolina, and Brian Bridgeford and wife Cindy of Colorado; great-nieces and nephews whom she was a Grandma to, Crystal Bridgeford, Valerie Bowling, Tanja Bridgeford, Brian ("BJ") Bridgeford, Jr., and Jared Bridgeford; also special-in-law Reid Brendeland and children, Erik and Lindsey.