Mt. Vernon Community Garden perfect spot for Lang tribute

The family of Katy Lang helped honor Katy with a tribute at Mount Vernon’s Community Garden this week. Pictured are, from left: Kelsey Lang, Mary Theresa McFadin, Shelby Lang, Jacob Hipp, Tom Lang, and Hannah Lang. Photo supplied

By Lois Mittino Gray

A beautiful tribute to a beautiful heart now welcomes visitors to the Mount Vernon Community Garden, located on Eighth Street. A large red and white metal sign, installed last week, designates the front flower bed in honor of longtime garden volunteer, Katy Lang, who passed away on March 7, 2026. Purple petunia waves spill out of her special bed onto the gravel and colorful blooms radiate summer in the sunshine inside the raised bed box as one enters the gate. There are orange celosias, hot pink Vinca, purple coneflowers, blue ageratum, and red begonias amid the colorful pink-spotted green leaves of the Fittonia.

The dedication of the flower bed to Katy was unbeknownst to some of her daughters and mother when it was unveiled on Tuesday, July 21. Katy’s husband, Tom, was in on the surprise and all the family enjoyed walking around and looking at the variety of things growing in the beds. The honor was given by the ten members of the Mount Vernon Community Garden Committee, especially the Crabtree and Wehr family members.

Jeff Crabtree contacted Nix Industrial Company of Poseyville about the design for a tribute and they fashioned it and generously donated the plaque. Hannah Lang, Katy and Tom’s daughter, has been employed by Nix for many years and is like a member of the family, so it was very special.

Katy Cecile Lang, 50, was born January 28, 1976 to Woody and Mary Theresa McFadin. Katy grew up on her family farm where she was very involved in Posey County 4-H . She showed sheep and dairy calves and participated in many other projects. “Katy was a farmer’s daughter and when she married me, she became a farmer’s wife,” said Tom, her husband of nearly 28 years. “Katy was a devoted Christian who loved all that God gave us. She loved her animals and all kinds of plants and seeds and growing things.”

Katy’s treasure was her family of three girls: Shelby, Kelsey, and Hannah Lang. The family enjoyed camping and traveling. Some of her favorite places were England, Maine, Michigan, and Yellowstone National Park. As a family, the Langs enjoyed kayaking, hiking, being involved in 4-H, playing board games, and spending time around the campfire.

Katy’s professional life included serving as Nursery School Director at Zion Preschool, Lang Farms bookkeeper, and Office Manager at Jacob’s Village. “No matter where Katy worked, or what she was involved in, she always made the people around her feel incredibly special and deeply loved,” Tom noted.

Katy had many things that she was passionate about and loved. She loved picking strawberries at Farview Orchard and making strawberry jam and strawberry pie. Katy loved to cook, and people referred to her cooking as, ‘Katy’s Kitchen’. When her daughters asked how much of an ingredient to put in a dish, her response was, “I don’t know, measure with your heart.”

Katy’s obituary says, “Katy will be remembered by her caring personality, quiet muppet laughs, curly hair, beautiful brown eyes, and bright smile. She was a silent warrior who would do anything to help others. She never expected recognition but found joy and fulfillment in knowing she had helped in some way. Katy was an inspiration to so many people in different ways - everyone has a story about how she made them feel loved, comforted, seen, or heard. She was someone people could always count on; Katy always showed up with open arms asking “how can I help?”

One of the places she loved to help at was the Mount Vernon Community Garden: planting, weeding, harvesting and managing the lush growth. She was in on it from the start in January 2024 and it is now in its third year providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to the community, according to Committee Member Jeff Crabtree. “This flower bed blooms in honor of Katy whose kindness, generosity, and love touched the lives of so many. She believed that, like a garden, a community flourishes when people care for one another with compassion, patience, and hope. May every flower that blossoms and every seed that grows serve as a reminder of her beautiful sprit and generosity,” Jeff declared.

Crabtree stressed what a positive impression that the hardworking, friendly woman made on others. “The Community Garden has a Facebook page with almost one thousand followers. After I made the post about the plaque and bed dedication, we had 500 likes right away from members. That means over half of them paid attention to what I wrote and shows her effect on people.”