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Elder Lister
The late Mark Kimani and Meredith Kimani
Meredith Kimani, described as a mother, grandmother, friend, and "on-set mom," was shot and killed by her husband, Mark Kimani, on Sunday night at their home in Guthrie before he turned the gun on himself.
Meredith's best friend, Jamie Mungai,shared memories of their 35-year friendship.
"I met Meredith in 1990. Freshman English, Mrs. Merrill's class," Mungai said. "We were teenage moms together. We got married really quick. We got married, actually, in the same place."
Mungai expressed the depth of their friendship through life's ups and downs, saying, "She was there for me when my mom died. I was there when her first husband died ... She would be there for me. When I got breast cancer during COVID. She shaped her head with me when I shaved my head. And she looked really bad. But she didn't care."
Now, for the first time in over three decades, Mungai faces life without her best friend.
"Just looking around my office, I can't look at things that she didn't buy, or we weren't together," she said.
Guthrie Mayor Adam Ropp, who worked with Meredith as his location manager, expressed the community's grief.
"We are sad. We're devastated. We're in shock. Some people are angry," Ropp said.
He fondly remembered Meredith's vibrant personality, saying, "If anybody was a character on set, it was Meredith. Purple hair, purple shirt, purple pants, purple shoes, purple makeup and would arrive on set blaring Prince's Purple Rain. That was Meredith."
Meredith Kimani (in glasses ) pictured with her friend Jamie Mungai (Hawa kikuyu men wali-specialize na single mums)
A memorial has been built on set in her honor.
Ropp noted the unexpected nature of the tragedy.
"Everybody who was close with the family and close with their relationship did not see this coming,” Ropp said.
Mungai reflected on the loss, saying, "She was the one person who knew all my secrets. And kept my secrets.”
Wednesday also marks one year since Promise Cooper, a pregnant woman, was shot by her partner in Midwest City.