Lori Kay

Lori (Lorna) Christine Meier Kay

April 2, 1945 - October 17, 2020

A creative advocate for our community and our world has left us too soon. Surrounded by her family, Lori succumbed to the ravages of Parkinson’s Disease after 19 years of actively fighting against it, and supporting the evolving science to overcome it.

Born April 2, 1945, Lorna Christine Meier in Davenport Iowa, into a family of musicians and printers, journalism became her passion and exposed her to the world of issues, service, politics, education and leadership. She was high school and Iowa State University yearbook editor, eventually transferring and obtaining her Journalism degree from UW Madison. These early accomplishments brought Lori much pride.

She married the love of her life, Arlan Kay, in a candlelight ceremony at Zion Lutheran Church, Davenport, Iowa on August 22, 1964. Within a few short, happy years, Arlan was nearing college graduation and was delivered a draft notice to serve in the Vietnam War. A pacifist’s mindset combined with his personal risks led to the shared decision to start a family right away, the last option available to avoid the draft.

As the women’s movement was blossoming, and despite Lori’s strong feminist views, she sacrificed her dream of being a reporter for Newsweek in Washington DC, before starting a family. Regardless, she was joyful to welcome Heidi Kaarin Kay in early 1967. Instead, Lori and Arlan moved to Madison following Arlan’s graduation from ISU with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, to pursue his first job, resulting in Lori’s transfer to UW-Madison.

Arlan, Lori and Heidi lived in Madison for a few years, moved to Rural Oregon, WI with friends from the apartment building where they lived. Together a farm was purchased and a dream of small town rural living was realized. This beautiful piece of Dane County anchored the family and was just a short drive to Madison where countless opportunities were available, with enough effort applied. Lori’s commitment to her community began in earnest.

Lori embraced motherhood and went on to have Erik Andrew Kay in 1970 and Kietra Chantal Kay in 1973. She spoke of having a larger family and eagerly pursued welcoming international students into her home. Juan Carlos Zuniga, Chile, Angeles Sobrina Carrasco, Spain, Andrea Gassman-Johner, Switzerland, and Risa Sakumoto, Japan all stayed with the family during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s while they attended highschool with Erik and Kietra during their year abroad experiences, enriching everyone’s lives in the process. Important connections to this larger family remain ongoing.

During all these child-focused years, Lori doggedly pursued professional opportunities where she could find them, mostly in the form of volunteerism for organizations that resonated with her many and varied interests. At this point in our nation’s history, women, especially mothers, were overtly discriminated against, and Lori railed against injustices where she found them, but was often stymied in fully realizing her goals. Regardless, given her well known fighting spirit, she was active almost every day advancing some important initiative, most often with many projects ongoing simultaneously, kids in-tow as necessary.

Her tireless commitment to education followed her children as they grew, starting with being the cofounder of the Oregon Cooperative Preschool. The community of parents that gathered around this innovative new preschool helped to establish many dear friendships that have lasted the rest of Lori’s life. You know who you are, and the family extends our gratitude for all we’ve shared together.

Lori continued to push for advancements in the local public schools, striving for higher academic excellence and participation. She started the Parent Volunteer Program for the Oregon School District. She advocated for gifted and talented opportunities across many years and organizations, including spearheading the introduction of calculus and advanced placement education at Oregon High School. Lori also established and funded two student scholarships, actively supporting college ambitions for the broader community.

A self-described news nut, Lori was constantly plugged into the world’s goings on via TV and newspapers long before the 24-hour news cycle became a thing. She loved politics and was very active in advocating for women candidates exerting new opportunities in the changing political landscape following equal rights advancements. Lori was past President of the League of Women Voters of Dane County, she moderated countless candidate forums, and she even ran for County office herself in the early 80’s.

Another focus area where Lori made countless contributions was to advocate for the underserved and disadvantaged. Beyond being active at Midvale Lutheran Church, where she found joy in singing in the choir, she was especially interested in advancing the quality of elderly services, and was involved in founding several area Senior Centers. Lori also served on local and national boards for the elderly (NCOA, NCSC).

In the early 80’s, opportunity met preparedness and Lori seized a chance to work full time, (once the three children were in school full time). By leveraging all her years of volunteer work. Lori became Executive Director for Independent Living, growing it from a floundering not-for-profit agency to successfully providing extensive elderly programs and services from nutrition and health, to housing and transportation. She relished these professional experiences, despite the uncharted territory she was often left to navigate as a woman in a leadership role during a time when it was very uncommon, and too often, fraught with unnecessary challenges. Lori’s tenacity was an important characteristic that defined her approach to life and that she instilled in her children, whom she regularly challenged to live full and ambitious lives.

After a long tenure at Independent Living, Lori went on to become the Executive Director of Transportation at UW Madison. Often called the “UW Czar of Parking”, she advocated for customer service, developed Safe Walk and Safe Ride programs and advanced the bus service provided on campus.

While working full time, Lori always found additional ways to serve at a range of levels, from spending time at the local homeless shelter, to being a member of the Dane County, Transport 2020 commission’s visioning process. Lori and Arlan are broadly known in the community for their many contributions to causes they care about, and through these efforts they were richly rewarded in turn by being connected with many valued associates and friends over the years who joined with them.

Eventually, Lori moved on to working in the UW Chancellor's office, becoming Director of Community Partnerships. Her many initiatives while there focused on Madison’s South Side, developing economic and cooperative education opportunities such as SMPC, South side Campus at Villager.

Finally, Lori loved being a member of Madison Downtown Rotary, where she chaired its scholarship committee. Involvement with this organization was an outward expression of Lori’s successes both in the community and professionally. As an intentional legacy, she and Arlan were very proud the day that they established their own scholarship foundation within the framework of Madison Downtown Rotary.

Lori is survived by her husband of 56 years, Arlan, children Heidi Natura (Daniel), Erik Kay (Audrey Su) and Dr. Kietra Kay, and grandchildren, Vivian and Elliott Natura, Ava and Elena Kay, Emmanuel and Kuissick Kay, along with sisters, Ellen Meier, (Steven Nelmes), Marian (John Meyer), Carla Meier (Gaylon Barker). Also blessed with foreign exchange students Juan Carlos Zuniga, Angeles Sobrina Carrasco, Andrea Gassman-Johner, and Risa Sakumoto. She is preceded in death by her sister Edie (Edith Marshall), parents, Carl and Edith (Wagner) Meier.

Memorial Services will be at a later date where Lori’s family and friends can gather in a virtual gathering to honor Lori’s life. No flowers please, instead, memorials can be sent to the Kay Family Foundation, Madison Downtown Rotary, the Arlan and Lori Kay Advised Fund at Madison Community Foundation or the Building fund for the Oregon Public Library.

The family wants to thank Bright Star Senior Living and Agrace Hospice for loving care she received.