Merelyn S. Kaye

Merelyn Shultz Kaye departed this earth on February 3, 2023 after fighting a long illness. She was the beloved wife of Arthur Kaye (deceased), mother to Kristin Karnis and Karin Morrison, grandmother to Jessica, Emily, Katherine, and Taylor, and great-grandmother to Inanna, Paul, and Ahnuway. Merelyn was born on November 15, 1937 and grew up in Shepherdstown, West Virginia with her father Merle, mother Josephine, and brothers Jeff and Phil. She met her husband Art at a dance while they were attending Shepherd University and they shared their love of dancing throughout their marriage. Merelyn and Art moved to Falls Church in 1965. A few years later they purchased their home “Woodbrook”, built in 1890 with a functional windmill and barn. She beautifully decorated the historic home with antique furniture and paintings and meticulously maintained the flower and herb gardens. She had a sense for beauty and style, both in her fashion and her surroundings. In particular, her table settings at family meals rivaled those of Martha Stewart, with fresh flowers matching her china and tablecloths. In 1970 she obtained her real estate license and sold much of Falls Church with her husband Art and daughter Karin. She was a pillar of the Falls Church community for nearly 60 years through her work in the Village Preservation and Improvement Society, the Victorian Society of Falls Church, and Historic Falls Church Inc. Merelyn had a special place in her heart for horses. She spent many years watching her daughter Karin and then granddaughter Taylor compete at horse shows around the country. She was always right there with them with every stride. When Karin and Taylor weren’t in the ring, her true calling at horse shows was bringing people together with her beautifully turned-out tailgates. She was always wearing one of her beautiful hats to match her outfits! Services will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 3022 Woodlawn Avenue, Falls Church at 11:00 am Saturday, February 11 with a celebration of life to immediately follow at the Hilton Garden Inn, 706 West Broad Street, Falls Church. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St. Judes Childrens Hospital https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/DIY/Celebrate?px=7863371&pg=personal&fr_id=133398