On July 1, 2023, Kenneth J. Meyers, age 84, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones. He was conscientious, kind, reliable, and had an active Christian faith.
Ken was born on March 18, 1939, in Rochester, Minnesota. He grew up in Rochester when it was a much smaller town. He loved to share memories of hanging onto the bumper of city buses and sliding along in the wintertime, going to the Saturday matinee at the Chateau Theatre and only paying a nickel, and having a barbecue sandwich and root beer for lunch at Silver Lake Foods. Growing up he was an active member of the Boy Scouts of America and obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Rochester High School in 1957.
After graduation he enlisted in the Airforce and was stationed in Mildenhall, England. After his service, he enrolled at Rochester Junior College and a year later transferred to Mankato State where he obtained a B.S. in Elementary Education. He went on to complete his Master’s degree in Elementary Administration and later a post-Master’s certificate in Community Education/Special Education.
While at Mankato State completing his undergraduate degree, he met and fell in love with his biology lab partner, Marlene. The two of them were married on June 17, 1966, at Sundown Lutheran Church in Springfield, Minnesota. They were blessed with three daughters and a son.
Ken spent his life dedicated to elementary education. He started his career in Stewartville and then Westbrook as a fifth-grade teacher. While in Westbrook he went on to become the elementary principal. In 1971 he moved his family to Waseca where he was the assistant middle school principal, and then in 1979 he accepted the position of elementary principal in New Richland. In 1995, the school district was consolidated with another and Ken became the principal of two elementary school buildings until he retired in 1998.
Ken and his wife hosted a home Bible Study fellowship for many years. He enjoyed reading and studying God’s word and was active with several nonprofit
organizations. Ken enjoyed a variety of hobbies over the years like photography, coin collecting, reading history and biographies, doing yard work, word finds, and putting puzzles together.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marlene, his children Shari (Todd) Haugaard, Jenny (Ryan) Strand, Paula Meyers, John (Melissa) Meyers, grandchildren Abigail Collins, Malcolm and Emily Meyers, and bonus grandchildren Brianna, Brendon and Brooklyn Strand, siblings Milo (Audrey) Meyers, and Sandy Johnson, and several brothers- and sisters-in-law along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Christopher and Pearl (Kucker) Meyers and brothers-in-law Tom Johnson and Charles Falter.
The family will be holding a private celebration of life in honor of Ken.