William Douglas Meyer 77, died April 1,
2022 at Newton Medical Center. He was born December 2, 1944 in
Flandreau, South Dakota to William N. Meyer and Alvina C. Johnson
Meyer. His parents were traveling evangelists for The Church of God
of the Firstborn and he was raised on street meetings where his
parents would spread the gospel for Christ. They later settled in
Wichita, Kansas where he spent his teenage years. He started work at
an early age and landed a great job as a potwasher for the Forum
Cafeteria where he later was promoted many times and worked for them
17 years total. He took a promotion in 1966 to go to Miami FL with
the Forum where he met his love, Madeline. They were married on May
7, 1967 in Miami, FL. He took many promotions and traveled as a
chef, manager and troubleshooter with the Forum Cafeteria, getting
the restaurants in shape and making them profitable. He was saved on
July 9, 1972 in Chicago, IL. From that time on, his goal was to get
back to his childhood church in Kansas and reunite with his family.
He finally took a position to manage a small restaurant, the Hesston
Colonial House in 1974, and moved back to Kansas. After a couple of
years he moved to Newton KS and worked for a year with the MBPXL meat
packing plant in Wichita KS as a butcher. In 1977, following the
advice of a great man of God he admired, Bro AG Etterman, he took a
position as a meat cutter at a small grocery/deli in Newton KS called
Gillespie?s Market on 1st street. He worked there until it closed
in 1988. He was able to share his testimony with many people that
shopped there, as well as the people he worked with. He served as
Sunday school Superintendent, then Deacon and finally in 1986 became
the minister for the Newton Church of God of the Firstborn where he
served until his death. He also used his restaurant experience to
manage the church kitchen for the annual church conference each year
in September and served as the Board Treasurer as well.
He was a hard worker, mowing lawns,
working at the church, doing handyman work, anything to make ends
meet and to make sure the church was maintained. He always put God
1st in his life, then his church family, then his natural family. He
traveled many times a year with the church to revival meetings all
over the US and Mexico, he sold bibles and songbooks for the church
and loved working for the church, witnessing for the Lord and helping
people. He loved playing the mandolin in church, he enjoyed
bluegrass gospel music and loved old black and white westerns. He
was also famous for using duct tape, silicone and white out to fix
just about anything. He did not know a stranger and made sure
anyone he talked to knew his testimony and love for the Lord. He
will be greatly missed by all.
He was preceded in death by his
parents, nephew Jeff Wheeler, sister-in-law Cindy Meyer,
brother-in-law, Cameron Roatch, sister Paula Garms. He is survived
by his wife, Madeline Meyer and daughter Tina Meyer, 3 step children,
Toby Cline, Tamy Cline Bellis, Beverly Cline Slager, 3 step
grandchildren and 1 step great grandson; 11 brothers and sisters:
David, Darlene, Kenneth, Candi (Sharon), John, Esther, Wayne, PJ
(Peggy), Carl, Alan, Ron, many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law and
many nephews and nieces and other extended family.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m.,
Saturday, April 9, 2022 at The Church of God of the Firstborn on
South Kansan Avenue in Newton, Kansas with Pastors Pete Etterman and
Simon Ledesma officiating. Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday at the church. Burial will be in The Church of God of the
Firstborn Cemetery Rural Newton, Kansas.
Memorials in Bill?s memory may be
made to Madeline Meyer and left with Petersen Funeral Home.
