Visitation will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport on August 28th from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by a church funeral at 11:00 AM. Graveside Internment will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery for immediate family members following the service.
Wayne was born on June 22, 1932 to Alvin and Irma (Petersen) Meyer at the family farm on Buttermilk Road in Davenport. He attended the Sheridan Township one room schoolhouse and graduated from Davenport High School in 1950. Wayne also attended Iowa State University where he studied Agriculture. Growing up on the farm Wayne was involved in 4H, raised and showed hogs at the Mississippi Valley Fair every summer.
Wayne married Shirley Ann Watkins in 1953 and had two sons. The marriage ended in 1963. Wayne had a long-term career at John Deere Plow and Planter Works (now John Deere Seeding) for 29 years and retired in 1993. In 1976 Wayne met the love of his life, Carol Whitmer Ramirez. They were married in 1989.
Wayne and Carol shared a passion for ballroom dancing and attended dances at the Col Ballroom regularly. They also loved jazz and Polka music. The highlight of their year was attending the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz festival and the Durant Polka Fest. For many years they shared time together at their condominium on Captiva Island in Florida and their rental in Mesa Arizona over the winter months.
Wayne selflessly raised two sons on his own as a single parent. He coached his son’s Dads Club Softball team in the summer and provided his boys with everything they needed growing up.
Wayne was a devoted Chicago Cubs and Iowa Hawkeye Fan. He and his boys would attend many Chicago Cubs games at Wrigley Field in Chicago in the Summer months and Iowa Hawkeye games at Kinnick Stadium in the fall.
Wayne was a member of the Schleswig Holstein Society, Catfish Jazz Society and the Knights of Pythias, His faith in God was strong and has been a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport for over 50 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents Alvin and Irma (Petersen) Meyer; sister, Marlene (Meyer)Schneckloth; brother, Harlan Meyer; sister-in-law. Gert Meyer. He is survived by his wife, Carol Meyer of Eldridge; Sons, Christopher (Brenda) Meyer of Eldridge; Randal Meyer of Cedar Falls; Sister, Barb Paustian of Eldridge; Step sons, Jeff (Debbie) Ramirez of Rowlett TX.; Jon (Jenny) Ramirez of Colleyville, TX. Tim (Michelle) Ramirez, of Fort Worth, TX.; Greg (Kara) Ramirez, of Whitefish Bay, WI.
The family wishes to thank the Mercy-one Genesis Hospice Staff and the nurses and staff at Fieldstone Nursing Home in De Witt for making his final days comfortable.
Memorials may be made in memory of Wayne Meyer to St. Paul Lutheran Church.
