Phyllis Meyer of Alden, age 93, died Friday, May 5, 2023, at her home in Alden, MN. The Memorial Service will be held Monday, May 15, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at United Lutheran Church in Walters, MN with Pastor Don Rose officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m at the church in Walters. Burial will be in Walters Cemetery. Nasinec Funeral Home in Wells is entrusted with arrangements. Please see www.nasinecfh.com to leave online condolences.
Phyllis Freida Neve Meyer was born on January 11, 1930 at Naeve Hospital, Albert Lea, Minnesota, to George and Freida (Behr) Neve. Phyllis was baptized at home, the upstairs apartment over Koetke’s Store, on February 2, 1930. She was confirmed in her faith at Faith Lutheran Church in Walters, MN.
As a teenager during World War II, she spent the summers of ’43 and ’44 helping her dad wire farms for electricity. She was also a pianist and the first organist for Faith Lutheran Church. She was the organist for many weddings.
Phyllis attended District 83 grade school, which was a white school house on the hill in Walters. She graduated from Kiester High School in 1947. She worked for a year as the Kiester School secretary.
She married Lloyd Meyer on a very hot Sunday evening, August 22, 1948, at Faith Lutheran Church in Walters. That fall they moved into a new home built by George Neve.
She was a bookkeeper for the Merchants Co-op Egg Association before becoming the mother to 14 children. The family lived on the Meyer farm north of Walters. After years of canning, baking and sewing for her family at home, she started work at the Walters School as the cook. When the school closed, she finished her school cooking career as the head cook at Kiester-Walters High School in 1996, after serving lunch for 24 years.
Phyllis gave of her time to her church and community. Through the years she had been a Sunday school and confirmation teacher, directed the junior choir, served on the church council, and was a LCW member. For a number of summers, she worked alongside her kids as part of the Meyer bean walking crew. She served on the Faribault County Library Board, volunteered as the Walters librarian, was a Hospice volunteer for 16 years and an Alden Community Museum board member, delivered Meals on Wheels, enjoyed being part of the RSVP Reader’s Theater and was a columnist for The Alden Advance since 2000. She also was a caregiver to her husband and parents.
Phyllis moved to Alden in September of 2004, having lived on the hill by Walters for 54 years.
She was a member of United Lutheran Church of Walters, Tuesday Study Club and the Alden Book Club.
Phyllis enjoyed reading, gardening, quilting (especially t-shirt quilts), sewing – which included patching jeans, darning socks and making dresses for her girls, including three wedding dresses, walking, writing letters, family and community history, giving tours at the museum, and baking bread and cabbage pies to share with family and friends. She treasured time spent with her family. She traveled from coast to coast and in between to visit family. Her travels to California gave her the opportunity to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge fifteen times!
Survived by children: Steve Meyer of Richmond, CA., Kathy Streiff of Owatonna, MN., Kris (Gene) Klingbeil of Burnsville, MN., Lori (Joe) Robertson of Bentonville, AR., Lou (Jim) Henderson of Virgina Beach, VA., Kevin (Carmen) Meyer of Mankato, MN., Jon (Nancy) Meyer of Faribault, MN., Beth (Jeff) Zeller of Alden, MN., Brenda (Bruce) Hermanson of Burnsville, MN., Bill (Jayne) Meyer of Bricelyn, MN., Paul (DeDe) Meyer of Mankato, MN., Lloyd Meyer II of Kasson, MN. and Tina (Brent) Kappler of Lee’s Summit, MO., son-in-law Daryl Ring, 25 grandchildren, 4 step grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and 5 step great-grandchildren, sister: Glennyce (Paul) Reimers of Wichita, KS, numerous nieces and nephews and their families, and sister-in-law Violet Meyer.
Preceded in death by husband Lloyd Meyer in 1995, daughter Karen Ring in 2023, granddaughter Angela Meyer (daughter of Jon and Nancy Meyer) in 1982, sons-in-law Stuart Streiff in 2015 and Dayton Azevedo in 2022, father George Neve in 1987, mother Freida (Behr) Neve in 1994, father-in-law Bernhard (B.W.) Meyer in 1966, mother-in-law Della Meyer in 1975, sister Eunice Simonson and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Al Simonson, Mel and Hazel Meyer, Harold and Erma Meyer, Florence and Lyle Rupp, Floyd and Marcia Meyer, Pauline and Elmer Tysver, Clarence Meyer and special friend, Dick Thunstedt.
Memorials are preferred to Mayo Hospice.
“Live each day to the fullest and appreciate and enjoy it for the gift that it is.”
Thank you Steve for accidently stopping at our house just a week ago. It was such a joy visiting with you and your mother. You fulfilled her obit wish about the bridge! Phyllis definitely left her mark in the world. She will be missed by many.
She was a great lady. So sorry for your loss.
Sincere Sympathy to Phyllis’s Family. She was always an active lady in her church and community. She led by example of what involvement means. She was our neighbor on the farm and would help her mom cook at Walter’s school. Well done Good and Faithful Servant. RIP 💖
Our sympathy to all my cousins and their families during this time of sorrow. I have many great memories of times spend on the farm. Aunt Phyllis was a source of comfort when my Mom passed away.
Our sympathy to all my cousins and their families during this time of sorrow. I have many memories of the times I spent on the farm. Aunt Phyllis was a comfort to me when my Mom passed away. I have very fond memories of her.
Very fond memories!! Best creamed turkey and mashed potatoes at KW schools. Knew all 14 and loved them all.
Great to see her at United. Long live her ideas and offerings!! Proud to have known her !!!
So SO MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES of Phyllis – both at the Walters school and in Kiester. When I told my girls of Phyllis’s passing – Coleen said “ she was my chili cook. No one could make chili as good as Phyllis.” Jessica was just sad. Phyllis became a very special person to her. Their friendship grew at the dental office in Wells. I so admired and looked up to Phyllis. She was an amazing, talented, loving person – always with the best advice❤️
Our deepest sympathy to your family. It began as a every Sunday church thing. We gave each other the biggest best hugs. Since than I’m requiring many good hugs from others. She was an awesome person
Thanks Steve for “accidently” showing up at our house with your mom last week. It was such a joy catching up with her. What a special lady! She will be missed by many.
Deepest sympathy to the family. I would consider her a neighbor also.
Our sympathy
Phyllis was certainly a good and faithful servant and had a life well lived! I met her through Naeve Partners In Health and Hospice. She was a fun lady to be around.
I too walked bean fields with Phyllis and the last time we were not walking but riding a bean bar and spraying the weeds. She wrote me many letters and sent numerous pictures and clippings over the past thirty years. I appreciated those very much. Rarely if ever did I hear her say anything negative about a person. I certainly could learn from that. My condolences to her family. See you on Monday and I have plenty of hugs to go around for all.
What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful lady. She always had a smile on her face. I hope that the many memories you have will help you adjust to your new “normal”. She was a definitely a blessing to all of you.
Truly sorry to hear of your mother passing. Please know that your family are in my prayers.
Enjoyed times when I would stop in into senior citizens at Alden City Hall to visit with her and Marjean Jacobs. Just last year during MLD my twin sisters were here visiting and we stopped at the museum and Phyllis gave us a tour. We had a great visit with her. She was a great historian and she will be missed by everyone that knew her! She touched many lives. I already missed her weekly articles in the Alden Advance. RIP my friend!
Steve, so sorry to hear about your mom. My thoughts are with you at this difficult time. Prayers for you and your family. Virginia (Hacker) Neisen.
Our heartfelt sympathy to the Meyer family. Your Mom and Grandma Phyllis was a very special person! Her example of a life well-lived is a testimony to everyone of how one should live their lives of faith and dedication to family and others!
Special empathy to Brenda, our sister-in-law and her family as well as Chris, a nursing classmate of Carol’s at Minnesota State University, Mankato (Class of ’73), plus her family, and Kathy a fellow member of our Lutheran Youth Encounter Team Ministry (1971-1972) at Campus Lutheran Chapel at Minnesota State University, Mankato. God Bless You All and Angels ‘Round You Always!
Lloyd, Tina, & the rest of my second cousins,
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. Your mom was the nicest person.
You are all nestled gently in my thoughts. I am glad that I knew her. Rest in peace, Phyllis.