Date of Birth: June 7, 1926
Date of Death: July 20, 2016
Art Meyer, originally from the Melville area, passed away peacefully at the age of 90 years in St. Albert, Alta. with his family by his side.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Jean, following 55 years of marriage.
He is lovingly remembered by his son, Art and his wife, Mary; his grandchildren, Lana and Glenn; nieces, Connie (Brien) Maguire, Stella Atler, and Susie (Bruce) Graham; and many relatives and friends.
Art grew up on the family farm near Melville, Sask., which his father, Herman Meyer, homesteaded in 1902. Art quickly developed a love of farming and gained many of the practical skills that would serve him well later. During high school, the Dominican Sisters at St. Henry’s would provide him with a passion for learning that would influence the course of his life.
In 1948, with few options available to the youngest son in the family, Art boarded the train to Manitoba and found a job at the Portage Hotel. After several years in the hotel business, he embarked on another career and went into equipment sales and service in Prince George, B.C. It was there that he met his future wife. Jean Beatty came from a similar farming background near Brockville, Ont. and had worked as a legal assistant and court reporter before graduating as a registered nurse from Toronto General Hospital. Art and Jean were married in 1954. They later moved to Edmonton where he would manage the parts department for a national heavy equipment supplier while she continued her nursing career.
As time went by, Art’s entrepreneurial spirit took them to Lloydminster, Sask where they opened a series of successful hardware, furniture and appliance stores. Their dedication to quality and service was rewarded by repeat business and friendships with customers throughout the region. Following retirement, they moved to Redwater, Alta. to be closer to family.
Art and Jean loved to spend time at Loon Lake, Sask. Art took pride in building their cabin over the course of two years and went on to build a second guest cottage when his grandchildren arrived. He and his wife enjoyed walks in the woods, picking wild blueberries for homemade pies, watching wildlife and spending time with their son’s family or with friends.
Art’s other passions were woodwork and machining. Over the years, he would own several wood and metal lathes, all manner of tools and would construct homemade smelters to melt brass and aluminum for further metal working.
After moving to Redwater, Art joined the Masons and would become a member of the Waskatenau and Victoria Lodges. He also travelled to Grand Rapids, Mich. to visit the Dominican Sisters and see his former high school teachers. During his last trip to the family homestead, he donated a nearby quarter section of land to the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation and the Nature Conservancy of Canada in memory of his pioneering father.
In later life, Art took on the role of caregiver to his wife so that she could continue to live at home until her passing in 2009.
Art will be remembered as a person who began with little and, through a combination of ability, perseverance and hard work, succeeded on many fronts. He will be greatly missed, but his enduring spirit will long be remembered by those who knew him.
His family would like to thank Dr. Mouton in Redwater, Dr. Cave in Edmonton and the staff at Touchmark at Wedgewood, Homecare Southwest, and Foyer Lacombe for the wonderful care and support that he received.
