John P. Meyer

go, died Tuesday, Jan. 26,

2016, at Sanford Palliative

Care, Fargo.

John P. Meyer was born

in Karlsruhe Sept. 8,

1932, to Tony and

Dorothy (Steir) Meyer. At

a young age the family

moved to Granville where

he attended his first nine

years of school. One of

those years he attended

“country school” in a

one-room schoolhouse. In

1948 the family moved to

Minot where John gra-

duated from Minot High

School.

In January 1951, John

was called to active duty

with B battery 188th Field

Artillery Battalion and the

North Dakota Army Na-

tional Guard. After his

basic training he was sent

to Korea and served as a

Forward Observer with

the 31st F A BN., and as a

RECON Sgt. with the 17th

Inf. REGT., both with the

7th Infantry Division. He

received several promo-

tions and at the age of 19

was one of the youngest

section leaders in the en-

tire division. He was

wounded in combat Aug.

5, 1952. He received a

Purple Heart as a result of

his wounds. He returned

to the United States and

was discharged from the

Army on Oct. 23, 1952.

After his discharge from

the Army he managed res-

taurants in Minot and

Williston.

John married Lillian

Ronning at St. Joseph’s

Catholic Church in Willis-

ton. They moved to Fargo

in 1956 and started work-

ing for Standard Oil. In

1963 he was recognized as

one of 10 operators, from

an organization of over

33,000, as Outstanding

Standard Oil Dealer. He

was also selected as

trainer/dealer to train new

Standard Oil service sta-

tion operators. During his

employment with Stan-

dard Oil he bought two

service stations, both of

which were sold in 1966

when he was appointed

Veteran Service Officer

(VSO) for Cass County.

During his years as VSO

he served on the Veteran

Service Officers organiza-

tion as secretary/treasurer

for 23 years, vice

president for one year,

and one year as president.

During his lifetime he

served as Post Service Off-

icer for the VFW, adjutant

treasurer for the DAV,

Veterans Affairs Volun-

tary Service representa-

tive for the American

Legion/AM VETS, and

state adjutant for the

Catholic War Veterans. As

an advisor to the National

Alliance of Businessmen,

he provided input to as-

sist unemployed, under

employed, ex-offenders

and Vietnam era veterans.

John was also a lifetime

member of the Veterans of

Foreign Wars (VFW) and

Disabled American Vet-

erans (DAV).

John served as Cass

County Commissioner

from 1996 to 2004. He

served on the Cass County

Water Resource District,

Red River Joint Water

Board, and the Fargo Cass

County Economic Devel-

opment Corporation. He

held portfolio appoint-

ments for Disaster Emer-

gency Services, Jail, Ju-

venile Detention, Sheriffs

Department and Cass

County Social Service

Board. He also served as

chair of the South East

North Dakota Counties

resolution committee, the

North Dakota Association

of Counties and as special

deputy for 23 years. He

was a member of the Air

National Guard from 1963

to 1984. He worked at

Boulger Funeral Home

from 1980 to the present.

He represented Cass

County as a member on

the Fair Board.

He enjoyed time spent

at Buffalo Lake where he

drove the boat teaching

well in excess of 100 kids

to water ski. His favorite

hobbies were playing

cards, pinochle and play-

ing his accordion in the

Sons of Norway Accor-

dion Band.

The Meyer family are

charter members of Na-

tivity Catholic Church.

John was also an active

member of the Knights of

Columbus.

John is survived by: his

wife, Lillian; seven chil-

dren, Dale Meyer, Rose-

mary (Warren) Ackley,

Catherine Meyer, Barbara

(Lee) Haacke, Karen (Dan)

Tehle, Mary (Mark) Hoff,

Christine Meyer; eight

brothers and sisters,

Rosemary (Vernon) Bai-

ley, Towner, Kay

McCreary, Minot, Donald

(Sondra) Santa Rosa, Cal-

if., Gerald, Great Falls,

Mont., Gary (Bonnie), Fort

Peck, Mont., Marcella

Gehringer, Circle, Mont.,

Patricia Bradford, Minot

and Bobby (Joan), Wolf

Point, Mont.; eight

grandchildren and three

great-grandchildren.

John is preceded in

death by: his parents;

brothers, Joseph, Leander

and Jackie; sisters,

Dorothy and Regina; and

grandson, Jonathan Day.

Funeral Mass: 9 a.m.

today, Saturday, at Nativi-ty Catholic Church, Fargo.

Interment will be: at

Holy Cross Cemetery

North, Fargo.

Visitation: one hour pri-

or to the funeral today in

the church.

Arrangements entrusted

to the care of Boulger

Funeral and Celebration

of Life Center. To sign our

online guestbook, please

visit www.boulgerfuneralhome.com.