Carianne Meystrik

Carianne Meystrik, aged 55, went to be with Jesus at 1:10am on Tuesday, February 25th. She was surrounded at home by her entire family with the Holy Spirit present. We miss her so much and only time and our Lord will heal the pain. She loved Jesus with all her heart and being, she loved her family deeply, and she loved her friends intimately. If you knew her you were impacted by her. God‘s will is perfect and His plan will unfold beautifully. At Oxford Highschool in Michigan, where she graduated in 1988, Cari was the salutatorian of her class, a stand out track star, Michigan state track champion in the 800m, and member of her schools Athletic Hall of Fame. She loved to run and excelled at her passion. This passion led her to an athletic scholarship to Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri where she met her future Husband, Chris, in the summer of 1988. Cari graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1996 as the valedictorian of her class. She had an unusual gift of intelligence and was wanting to use that gift as a doctor in service to others. Instead, at an early age, Cari decided to devote her time to her growing family and being a mother to her beautiful children. She homeschooled her kids, spoke into their lives, and was the best wife and mother a husband could have. She built a home that was full of love, joy, and laughter for anyone who entered our doors. On June 15th 1998 Cari was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a dreadful disease that has a life expectancy of 2-5 years. While it seemed her dreams would come to an end very early, God had other plans. Cari lived 26 years, mostly from a wheelchair and with little use of her limbs. Strong in will and mighty in her love for Jesus, she drew on that strength to live one of the most remarkable lives—raising her family, loving deeply, and passionately raising awareness for ALS. She poured her life into other ALS patients, meeting with Congress for research money, hosting walks to defeat ALS, running the Knoxville ALS support group from our home, working with the Department of Defense and the FDA on determining where research dollars should be spent, traveling to ALS events across the country, and daily reaching out to the ALS community from her computer. Cari did more in a day from a wheelchair than most people accomplish with functional limbs. Her passion and love for people was real and expressed and lived out. Cari loved all of her kids so very deeply. She was a constant source of encouragement, raised them to love Jesus, and was always there to love, guide, and teach them. The way she loved the Lord and lived with ALS had a profound impact on all her kids. Her example and life as a mother resulted in the most beautiful humans who love coming home and being with each other. Seeing her family together was her ultimate happy place (Cades Cove being a very close second). Chris and Cari lived a love story together for more than 36 years. They loved to hike in the Smokey Mountains with their kids and dogs (before ALS), being with family and playing games, the ordinary days laughing, living, and telling stories, traveling on their many adventures across this beautiful country, attending all the kids events—especially sports as they grew up, and meeting with the Lord at Church together as they grew their love of Jesus Christ. Cari is survived by her husband and loved person of 33 years, Chris Meystrik; their children Jacob, Rebecca (Mason Beebe), Graceanne, and Jonathan; and her much adored grandson Quint. She is also survived by her mother Fran Smirnoff (Randy) and her father Tom Byrd (Ilene); her brother Andy Byrd (Lucy), and her mother-in-law Terry Meystrik, sister-in-law Michele Heitman (Steve), and brother-in-law Jeff Meystrik (Marcie), along with many beloved nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is preceded in death by her father-in-law Charles H. Meystrik. There will be a celebration of Cari’s life held on Saturday, March 29th at 3:30pm at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, located at 9132 Kingston Pike in Knoxville TN. The family will be available to visit immediately following the celebration of her life. Cedar Springs is the church where, starting in 1994, Chris and Cari grew to love Jesus and introduced each of their kids to Him. Any and all are invited to come celebrate our beautiful sweet girl. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the ALS Association in Cari’s name. God has been so so good to us our whole life. She was my person and I was hers. With love, Chris. The service will be live streamed on Rose-Mann's facebook page starting at 3:30 pm on March 29, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/RoseMannHeritage

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Carianne Meystrik

February 25, 2025