William D. “Bill” Meyer

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 1^st 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 1^st 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.