Arlon Lee Meek, age 71, passed away on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at his home in Manhattan, Kansas.
Arlon was born on February 1, 1952, in Clay Center, Kansas, to Archie and Osa Meek. He attended grade school through high school in Clay Center. After high school, he attended Cloud County Community College and then transferred to Kansas State. After graduating from Kansas State, he was hired as the Procurement Officer for the Chemistry/Biochemistry Department. Arlon worked for Kansas State his entire career, working there for 32 years. He retired in 2010. Arlon had many friends throughout his life that he made from being at K-State and through his music.
Arlon is survived by his longtime girlfriend/partner Betsy Blair. He is also survived by his only son Jeremy Meek and his wife Tammy of Manhattan, KS, sister Sharon Graham in Prescott, AZ, niece (Washington State) and nephews in Arizona. He is preceded in death by his parents Archie and Osa Meek, and his only grand-daughter Savanna Elaine Meek.
Arlon's first love was music and he carried that love throughout his entire life. He started learning to play the guitar at a young age and formed his first band in eighth grade named the Moondogs. Arlon was a talented musician, a master guitar player and a versatile singer. He played with bands including the MoJo's, Hickory Wind, Evensong, Country Joys, and the Nightriders. In the '70s, he was a member of The Timber Creek Band. In the '80s, his band was called The Cruisers. The Cruisers played all over Kansas and their songs were even played on the oldies station. In the 1990s, he had a duo group called The Sidekicks.
His love for music never stopped, and even after the band days and the duo were done, he couldn't stay away. He enjoyed going to jams with all his musician friends in different towns near Manhattan. Recently, he was in the group Denims and Lace. He enjoyed playing with them and he met many people throughout the years and stayed in contact with life-long friends.
When he was not playing music, he enjoyed his cat, doing yard work and sitting in his backyard enjoying the weather. Arlon also enjoyed old movies and westerns. Arlon was a great writer and wrote many short stories and in his younger years was an avid book reader. He enjoyed going to car shows and entering his own vehicles into the contests. Arlon actually won multiple trophies for his 1983 Bronco and his 1979 Pontiac Grand Am.
Visitation will be Tuesday April 25, 2023, at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home in Manhattan from 6:00-7:30 pm.
Arlon's Funeral Service will be Wednesday April 26, 2023, at 10:00 am at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Chapel in Manhattan. Graveside services will be held following the funeral at the Greenwood Cemetery in Clay Center, Kansas at 1:30p.m.
The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorial contributions can be made to the American SIDS Institute (www.sids.org) or The CAT Association of Topeka https://www.topekacat.org/. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502. Online condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website at www.ymlfuneralhome.com