Verna June Eshelman Meen, of Kingsport, passed away Saturday, October 24, 2015 after a sudden illness. A "pioneer" from the start, Mrs. Meen was born in Wolcottsville, Indiana with a strong sense of how education could change a person's life. At a time when few women attended college, Mrs. Meen set her sights on an accounting degree at Indiana University. With $80 and a merit scholarship, she set out to finance her education. Mrs. Meen also worked her way through school, earning top marks. She worked hard, eventually graduating in two and two-thirds year. Following graduation, Mrs. Meen was highly recruited, receiving three job offers before earning her degree. Of the offers, she was most interested in one from Eastman Chemical Company, which she knew to be a good company. She looked up Kingsport on a map, accepted the position and found herself transplanted to East Tennessee as the very first female accountant at Eastman. She also purchased land, designed the house she would live in until her death and paid for its construction. Verna June was independent and a woman of her own means. Mrs. Meen met Dr. Ronald Meen, a graduate of Toronto University, early in their years at Eastman. Dr. Meen was an organic dye chemist who courted her for years. She turned down his proposals of marriage, as she did not want to burden him with the responsibility of caring for her mother. However, shortly after the passing of her mother, Dr. Meen presented her a ring and asked her again. Not long thereafter she agreed and they were married. The two shared a life together that included summer trips to Canada, his home country, reading on the back deck and taking boat rides on Muskoka Lake. She also took care of his mother in her later years, initially staying with her in Canada before bringing her to Tennessee where she cared care for her in her home. Their marriage lasted until his death in 2008. In her later years, Ms. Meen was a significant philanthropist, providing generous support to many non-profits in East Tennessee, and to Tusculum College in Greeneville, TN where the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math is currently under construction. The Meen Center is named in their honor and will open in September 2016. She also established the Verna June Meen Endowed Scholarship Fund to be used primarily for female accounting majors and the Ronald H. Meen Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Chemistry. Verna June was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Ronald H. Meen. On Wednesday, October 28, from 1 - 2 p.m., family and friends will be received at the Carter Trent Funeral Home, 520 Watauga Street, Kingsport, TN. A funeral service will follow in the chapel. A graveside service will be held at Oakhill Memorial Park, 800 Truxton Drive, Kingsport, TN with Dr. Kenneth Bowman, John Fisher, Dr. Ron May, Steve Gehret, Paul Robinson, and Shawn Arnold serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees, Eastman Chemical retirees, Joel Conkin, Patrick Mitchell and Paul Jepson. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested in memory of Mrs. Meen to Tusculum College, c/o Institutional Advancement, 60 Shiloh Road, Greeneville, TN 37743. Carter-Trent Funeral Home, downtown Kingsport, is serving the family of Verna June Meen.