Kenneth George Meyer

Kenneth George Meyer, known to family and friends as Ken, passed away on August 21, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 91. He was born January 5, 1935, in Nisland, South Dakota, to George and Caroline Meyer.

Ken lived a life characterized by devotion to his family, a deep and abiding Christian faith, an extraordinary curiosity about the world around him, and a lifelong instinct to understand how things worked—and, whenever possible, to make them work better.

Ken met Shirley Nadine Gerstner after moving to Salt Lake City for an engineering position. They met through First Baptist Church, where their friendship and courtship grew through their shared church life. They married in Salt Lake City on January 30, 1960, beginning a partnership that lasted more than 66 years. Together they built a home and family that remained at the center of Ken’s life for more than six decades.

Ken earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1957 and later a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Utah. His professional career was spent largely as a civilian engineer at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, where he worked on missile guidance systems during the Cold War era, including the Sergeant missile and the Minuteman missile guidance system. He took pride in knowing that his work contributed, in a small but meaningful way, to the defense of the United States during a particularly consequential period in its history.

Ken was, in many ways, a quintessential engineer. Exceptionally intelligent and analytical, he was equally at home with a slide rule in his earlier years and the rapidly emerging digital technologies that transformed his profession. But his curiosity extended far beyond his career. He was a lifelong tinkerer and problem solver, building and modifying computers and electronic devices, experimenting with home automation and audio technology, working on cars, and taking on seemingly any mechanical, electrical, or household problem that crossed his path. He was the person his family could turn to when something needed to be understood, repaired, designed, or simply figured out. And he was always willing to share what he knew, particularly with his sons.

After retiring, Ken and Shirley moved to Phoenix in 1993, where they built the home in which they lived for the rest of their lives together. Ken embraced the challenges and pleasures of desert living, learning to care for a desert landscape and maintaining an elaborate irrigation system and swimming pool. He also developed a particular affection for the wild quail that visited their backyard, happily feeding and watching them.

Above all, his family and his faith were fundamental to the way Ken lived his life and interacted with the world around him.

He placed an extraordinary value on bringing his family together and making sure that his children and grandchildren knew one another and enjoyed each other’s company. He was deeply interested in the lives of his grandchildren and took great pleasure in watching them grow. His love was expressed not only in words, but in an almost instinctive willingness to put the needs of others ahead of his own.

Ken also had a strong interest in genealogy and family history. He spent years tracing the Meyer family’s roots from Germany through their history in Russia and ultimately to their immigration to the United States and settlement in South Dakota. He traveled to Germany to meet relatives he had discovered through his research and made a point of attending family reunions and maintaining connections with extended family.

Ken’s Christian faith was an important and enduring part of his life. He and Shirley shared that faith throughout their marriage, attending church together for many years and, more recently, worshiping with the community at Arizona Community Church. His faith shaped how he interacted with others and how he viewed the natural world and all of creation, and was evident in his honesty, kindness, and unwavering concern for others.

Ken was preceded in death by his son Kevin Paul Meyer (1965–2004). He carried Kevin’s memory with him throughout the years that followed, an enduring presence in his life.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Shirley Meyer; sons Scott Meyer (Miyuki) of Chandler, Arizona, and Daniel Meyer (Kimberlie) of Clifton Park, New York; daughter-in-law Alison Marquis (Chapel Hill, North Carolina); sister Shirley Holso of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; grandchildren Lena Meyer, Julia Meyer, Aiden Meyer, Makenna Meyer, Joshua Meyer, Jaron Meyer, Alyssa Meyer, and Colby Meyer; and his adored pug, Kiku.

Ken leaves behind much more than memories. He leaves the knowledge he shared, the problems he solved, the things he built, the family connections he nurtured, and—most importantly—the example of a life devoted to others. To his family, he was a husband, father, grandfather, teacher, advisor, and unfailing source of help. He was the person they could turn to, whatever the question or whatever needed fixing. His absence will be deeply felt, but so too will the influence of a life spent giving so much of himself to those he loved.

A service celebrating Ken’s life will be held Friday, September 4, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Green Acres in Scottsdale, Arizona. His urn will be placed in its final resting place immediately following the service.