Caldwell County Retired Teachers Association

07/31/2026

IN LOVING MEMORY

Marjorie "Margie" Lowery Lewis, age 78, of Princeton, passed away Sunday, July 26, 2026 at Marshall County Hospital.

Margie was born February 8, 1948 to the late Logan "Pete" Lowery, Jr. and Edna Oliver Lowery. Margie was a woman of deep faith who attended Southside Baptist Church. She loved the Lord, cherished her family, and dedicated her life to caring for those she loved.

Margie had a special gift for embroidery and shared her talent with many through her ministry, Mendi's Bags, where she lovingly embroidered bags, throws, and other keepsakes for people throughout the community. She especially enjoyed creating custom T-shirts and handmade clothing for her grandchildren, filling each piece with creativity and love. Margie was a passionate educator for 27.5 years and she loved her students. She taught third grade at Westside Elementary and was a Title 1 teacher for Caldwell County Middle School. She also loved to spend time reading a good book and baking for those she loved.

She also had a special place in her heart for her beloved cat, Pumpkin, who brought her much companionship and happiness.

Margie will be remembered for her kind heart, unwavering faith, creative spirit, and the love she so generously gave to her family, friends, and community. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched and the beautiful creations she made with her hands.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Kenneth Lee Lewis of Princeton; daughters, Mari Kate Lewis of Henderson, Carson Lewis of Princeton; sons, Chris (Amy) Lewis of Princeton and Kerry (Jennifer) Lewis of Ft. Worth, TX; sister, Teri (Rob) Herbert of Salt Lake City, UT; grandchildren, Madalyn Lewis, Arianne Lewis, Kaedmon Lewis, Knolin Lewis, Kirstin (Ryan) Newberry and Dakota Davis; several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by daughter, Mendi Lewis; her brother, Bob Lowery; nephew, Jason Lowery.

Visitation will be held from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm Sunday, August 2, 2026 at Morgan's Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm Sunday, August 2, 2026 at Morgan's Funeral Home with Kerry Lewis officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery with Bro. Dane Hodges officiating.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Shoe Box Ministry, c/o Ruth Gray, 460 Carl Gray Road, Cadiz, KY 42211 and Animal Cat Rescue, c/o Linda Crenshaw, 233 GC Crenshaw Road, Princeton, KY 42445 and Blood Cancer United, 1201 15th Street N.W., Suite 410, Washington, D.C. 20005 US.

You may light a candle or share a message with the family at www.morgansfuneralhome.com.

07/08/2026

The CCRTA is sad to learn of the death of a retired teacher, Cheryl Cavanah. We pray for her family in the coming days, which will be difficult, and hope that their sweet memories will carry them through.

View Cheryl Kaye Cavanah's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

06/17/2026

Our condolences to Claire's family. She was a long-time member of CCRTA and a fantastic membership chair. We will miss her support and friendship.

View Claire Campbell Boone's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

04/21/2026

AARP is offering a free webinar for members. The topic is "Educator 101: Spot and Stop Today's Scams." Click the link below to register.

04/17/2026

Sine Die: 2026 General Assembly Comes to a Close

Legislative Update April 17, 2026

Greetings KRTA Family,

The 2026 General Assembly has officially concluded with the call of Sine Die, marking the end of this year’s legislative session.

While many state agencies and school districts did not receive all the funding they requested, this session was a positive one for the Teacher Retirement System. Lawmakers continue to show a strong commitment to paying down the pension liability.

The final state budget, HB 500 (FCCR 1), has passed and fully funds both the pension system and the medical trust fund—an important win for our retirees.

Health Insurance Update (KEHP)

There had been concerns about health insurance for those under age 65. However, we received encouraging news from Mary Elizabeth Bailey, Secretary of the Personnel Cabinet:
“Thanks to your advocacy and engagement, the legislature adopted the Governor’s original funding proposal for KEHP. This significantly improves the outlook for members in 2027 and 2028.”

While healthcare costs continue to rise nationwide, we are hopeful any increases will be minimal. Final details will likely come closer to fall open enrollment.

Legislative Overview

As expected, the Governor signed many bills, and several vetoes were overridden.

We are grateful for your continued advocacy. Your calls, emails, and engagement truly make a difference.

We will continue to monitor developments and keep you informed every step of the way.

Thank you for all you’ve done—and continue to do—for Kentucky’s students and communities.

Sincerely,
Greg Roush
Executive Director
KRTA

04/07/2026

Strong Support for Retirees in the Final Budget - Legislative Update April 6, 2026

Greetings KRTA Family,

As the 2026 General Assembly wrapped up work before the veto period, House Bill 500 made its way through both the House and Senate and is now headed to the Governor’s desk.

There’s some good news here for retirees.

The final budget fully funds both the TRS Pension Liability and the Health Insurance Trust Fund. While many state agencies saw cuts, lawmakers stayed committed to meeting pension obligations — and that’s something we are very thankful for. There also appears to be funding included for under-65 health insurance (KEHP), although the exact numbers are not yet clear.

The legislature will return on April 14 and 15 to review any vetoes and finalize remaining items. We’ll continue to watch things closely and keep you updated if anything changes.

For Federal Legislative Updates and other Bills in Frankfort being watched by KRTA please click here:

Greetings KRTA Family, As the 2026 General Assembly wrapped up work before the veto period, House Bill 500 made its way through both the House and Senate and is now headed to the Governor’s desk. There’s some good news here for retirees. The final budget fully funds both the TRS Pension Liabi....

03/21/2026

Budget Update: Positive Progress, Final Decisions Ahead

Greetings KRTA Family,

The state budget process moved forward this week.

On Wednesday, the Senate passed its version of the budget (HB 500-SC1) with a unanimous 38–0 vote. The bill was then sent back to the House of Representatives. The House did not agree with the Senate’s version, so the budget will now go to a conference committee, where final decisions will be made.

The Senate’s version of the budget is positive for retired teachers. It fully funds both the pension system and retiree health insurance. It also includes favorable language regarding under-65 health coverage (KEHP). The budget calls for an actuarial review covering 2023–2028 and states that current funding levels are sufficient for the 2027 and 2028 plan years.

We will continue to monitor the process closely and will let you know if anything changes that could impact retirees.

For Federal Legislative Updates and other Bills in Frankfort being watched by KRTA please click https://teachfrankfort.org/what-were-watching-in-frankfort-the-senate-budget/.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,
Greg Roush
Executive Director
KRTA

03/06/2026

Greetings KRTA Family,

The Kentucky General Assembly has now reached Day 42 of the 60-day legislative session. The deadline for filing new bills has passed, and no legislation has been filed that would negatively impact our retirees.

We are still waiting for the Senate’s version of the state budget to be released, and early conversations continue to be encouraging.

HB 500 – State Budget Update

The House Budget Bill (HB 500) continues to move forward. A floor amendment was heard in the Appropriations & Revenue Committee on February 25, and it included several changes that are positive for retirees.

KEHP Under Age 65 Health Insurance

As we reported last week, the proposed 5% cap on employer contributions to KEHP has been removed from the budget bill.

While final numbers have not yet been released, we are hearing positive indications as budget negotiations continue.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Greg Roush
Executive Director
KRTA

03/06/2026

Volunteer hours are due! As part of the KRTA awards program, volunteer hours should be reported by each association. Please send your hours to Gerry Baker, CCRTA President, ASAP! His email is [email protected]. (Or, if you have his cell phone, feel free to text him.) He needs these hours by the close of this weekend if at all possible. Thanks, members!

03/01/2026

Strong Progress in Frankfort: Good News for Retirees

As we wrap up the week, we have encouraging news about HB 500 (the House Budget Bill).

Good News for Retirees

A floor amendment was heard in the Appropriations & Revenue (A&R) Committee on February 25, and it included several positive changes for retirees.

KEHP Under 65 Health Insurance

The proposed 5% cap on employer contributions to KEHP has been removed from the bill.
Lawmakers are now working with state agencies and actuaries to determine the final funding amount. No final number has been announced yet. While health insurance costs continue to rise, we do not expect increases as high as those discussed last week by the Personnel Cabinet.

TRS Funding

The amendment also increases funding for TRS. Both the pension and health insurance systems are now fully funded in the House version of the budget.

This is very positive news.

HB 500 has passed the House (81-18) and now moves to the Senate. There is still work to be done before a final budget is approved. KRTA will continue advocating for improvements as the process continues.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,
Greg Roush
Executive Director
KRTA