Gary Stephen Meek of Franklin, formerly of Crawfordsville, died Tuesday at the Indiana Masonic Home.

He was born in Peru, Indiana on May 27, 1946 to Chester Morton and Mary Frances Prather Meek.  He grew up on a farm located between Miami and Galveston.  He attended Miami Elementary School, Bunker Hill High School and was in the first class to graduate from Maconaquah High School in 1964.  He earned his BS and MS degrees in Music Education in 1968 and 1972.

He student taught in Seymour, Indiana.  He began teaching vocal/general/instrumental music for the Charles A. Beard School Corporation in Knightstown for four years.  He began his next 36 years of teaching for the Tippecanoe School Corporation at Clarks Hill Elementary, Mayflower Mill Elementary, James Cole Elementary and Wainwright Middle School.

He has served as a music adjudicator for many local, district and state music contests.  He was the chairman of the state music brochure.  He was past president of Indiana Elementary Music Association, the national Disciples of Christ Musicians, and the Crawfordsville Community Chorus.  He worked for the Columbian Park and Crawfordsville Children's Theatres.  He served on many state boards for music education.  He served as a vocals and choir director at many churches, of which First Christian Church of Crawfordsville was the longest.  He received many honors in music, the greatest was being named the most outstanding elementary music teacher in Indiana for 2008.

His memberships include the First United Methodist Church of Crawfordsville, ISU alumni association, retired teachers of Indiana, retired teachers of Montgomery County, Theta Chi alumni association, Phi Mu Alpha sinfonia association and Masonic Lodge.

He married Connie Lou Skelton Meek on June 3, 1972.  She passed away Jan. 21, 2015.  He is survived by: daughter, Angela E. Sledge (Lanny) of Greenwood; son, Wesley A. Meek (Beth) of Florida; sister, Renda E. Harmon of Peru; two grandchildren, Zander L. Sledge and Astella E. Sledge; nephew, Michael E. Working along with several cousins.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents and grandparents.

Visitation will be from Noon to 2:30 PM Saturday at Burkhart Funeral Home, 201 W. Wabash Ave., Crawfordsville.  Services will begin at 2:30, led by Pastor Darla Goodrich.  Interment will follow at Indian Creek Hill Cemetery.

Donations in memory of Gary Meek may be made to the Montgomery County Community Foundation, Connie Meek Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 334, Crawfordsville, IN 47933.  Online condolences may be made at www.BurkhartFH.com.