MEIER, John 1857-1944

MEIER, HERPEL, GRAPER, CRALL, SCHMIDT, EBY

Posted By: Marilyn O'Connor (email)
Date: 1/6/2011 at 18:25:52

Rites Are Held In
Methodist Church
For John Meier, 87

Week's Illness Is Fatal
To Pioneer Resident
Of This Community

John Meier, 87, resident of this community for the past 70 years, died at his home here at 1 o'clock Sunday, May 14. He had been in failing health since last December, when he was taken ill with a severe seige of influenza, but his condition had improved slightly in recent weeks. On Tuesday morning, May 9, he suffered a paralytic stroke while seated at the breakfast table and had never recovered consciousness since then.

Funeral services were held at the Methodist church at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, with the body lying in state at the Sheckler funeral home until the rites. The Rev. Robert Davis, pastor of the church officiated at the services.The pall bearers were Donald C. Meier of Little Falls, Minn., James Eby, George Schmidt and Will Oleson, all of Mason City, Joe Yezek of Manly and Arthur Crail of Erie, Kans. Mrs. O. L. Olsen and Mrs. Harry Olson, accompanied at the organ by Mrs. K. S. Shanks sang "Lead Kindly Light" and "Abide With Me." Burial was in Park Cemetery. Mrs. J. W. Kennedy and Mrs. Clarence Stoner had charge of the arrangement of the floral tributes.

Mr. Meier was born on February 15, 1857, at Lancaster in Grant county, Wisconsin; one of eight children-five daughters and three sons- of John Charles and Louisa Herpel Meier. The family moved to Nora Springs in 1874, when John was 17; and the following year his father bought a farm three miles southwest of Nora Springs, which has been the property of the Meier family ever since. John bought the farm from his father about 1885, and farmed it for seven years, retiring then and moving to Nora Springs. The farm is now rented by Henry Brakel.

Moving to Nora Springs 52 years ago, the Meiers bought the house in which John Meier died Sunday from C. I. Bittner, who had built the place. His father died Nov. 2, 1902, and his mother on June 12, 1910. His sister, Mary, has made a home for him since the death of their mother, and been his constant companion through their declining years.

A life-long attendant of the Methodist church, Mr. Meier had been a member of that body for the past fifteen years.

The surviving relatives are three sisters, Mrs. Louisa Graper, a patient in a convalescent home in Mason City; Miss Mary Meier of Nora Springs, and Mrs. Matlida Crall of Erie, Kans.; and one brother, Fred C. Meier of Eden Valley, Minn.

Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents were two sisters and one brother, Mrs. Elizabeth Schmidt, Mrs. Alma Elby and Will Meier.

(May 1944)