Bethany Lynn Meissner of Silver Spring, loving wife, daughter, sister, aunt, animal lover and community builder, joined the saints in light October 7, 2018 after a long battle with cancer. She would have been 34.

Bethany shared ten years together with her husband, Jarrod Jabre. She was the daughter of Michael Meissner, who precedes her in death, and Kathiann Kowalski of Fairview Park, OH. She was loving sister to Laura Meissner (Abraham Denmark) of Silver Spring, and to Christopher Meissner of El Paso, TX. Her niece and nephew, Julia and Martin Denmark of Silver Spring, brought her great joy. In addition, Bethany is survived by her grandfather George Meissner; her parents-in-law; aunts, uncles, and cousins; countless friends; and her beloved cat, Toby. Bethany is also preceded in death by her grandmothers Mary Ann Meissner and Julianna Kowalski, grandfather Edward Kowalski, and cousin Maggie McKenzie.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Bethany graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in classical humanities and in Philosophy, Politics, and the Public. She moved to Silver Spring shortly after graduation and quickly became an integral part of the community.  Her career and volunteer work incorporated her passions for writing, educating the public, social justice, and animal welfare, including positions at Washington Humane Society, American Institutes for Research, Petfinder, Aquilent/Booz Allen Hamilton, and the Pennyworth nonprofit thrift store. She also worked as a freelance social media consultant and writer, chronicling her life and her cancer journey here at www.bethanymeissner.com. Beth especially loved connecting people to each other and to resources they needed, and galvanizing her considerable network to help others. In 2015, Bethany was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Through three and a half years of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, Beth endured many setbacks but never lost her faith or her joy in life.

There will be a service of celebration of Bethany’s life on Saturday, October 20, at 3pm at Grace Episcopal Church in Silver Spring, MD. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of Montgomery County Animals or the Johns Hopkins Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service. Beth’s family deeply thanks everyone who has shown such love, support, and kindness over the past years.