Meyer, David F. (1876-1954)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1954 Dec 2 p. 8

Birth date: 1876

text of obituary:

DAVID F. MEYER

David F. Meyer, eldest son of Jacob G. and Anna Stucky Meyer, was born in Wayne County, Ohio and passed to his eternal reward at his home in Wayland, Iowa, on Monday evening, Nov. 9, 1954 at the age of 78 years.

When but a young man, he followed the adventurous yearning of youth and migrated westward. He stopped for one year at Flanagan, Ill. before coming to Wayland to make his home. He was a carpenter by trade for several years and served four years as rural mail carrier at Noble, Iowa. The remainder of his life until retirement he devoted to a successful farming career.

On Jan. 9, 1902, he was united in marriage with Lavina S. Roth, who had been reared in the Jacob Koebel home. These two devotedly served each other and their children over a span of 52 years of life together.

The home was blessed with seven children, all of whom with their mother, are survivors. These children are: Elmer R. Meyer, Mrs. Clarence (Mabel) Roth, Allen R. Meyer, Mrs. Don (Miriam) Kauffman, all of the Wayland community, Orval J. Meyer of Riverside, Iowa; Mrs. Wm. (Esther) Jadot of Kent, Ohio, and Mrs. Warren (Ruth) Anderson of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Twenty-six grandchildren and three great grandchildren also remain to honor his memory.

Of his eleven brothers and sisters, Mrs. David (Leah) Schrock, Mrs. Noah (Emma) Schrock, Miss Jennie Meyer, Jacob Meyer, Elmer Meyer, Mrs. John (Clara) Lerch, and Mrs. Marvin (Adelia) Wenger, all of Ohio, and Emmanuel Meyer of New York City survive. Two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Fetzer and Mrs. Katie Yoder, and one brother, Ben, preceded him in death.

As a lad of 14 David was baptized and united with the Mennonite church at Smithville, Ohio. Bishop Benjamin Gerig was the officiating minister at that time. David remained a staunch member of the Mennonite faith throughout his life. Since April 16, 1933, he had been associated with the Wayland Mennonite church and was a faithful servant of God here until his departure. He served the various churches where he held membership as a Sunday school superintendent and teacher, and otherwise endeared himself to his Lord and to his friends. For the last seven years he served as the custodian of the Wayland church where he was a member.

The depth of conviction manifested during the days of lingering illness in the past few years was a sustaining blessing to him and his friends. When god called him, he was ready; the hope to which he had yielded his faith now bears fruit in eternal life. He will be sorely missed by the church, the community, but most of all by a loving wife and sorrowing children to whom he was the grandest husband and daddy of them all.