Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday, March 9, 2015 from 4-8PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 11 AM from the funeral home.
Richard “Rick” Meyers, age 83, of Wayne, died unexpectedly on Thursday, March 5, 2015.
Born in Garfield, Rick was raised in Clifton and had been a resident of Wayne for the past 53 years.
When Rick was just thirteen years old, his father passed away. Rick was just finishing eighth grade, but with a need for new breadwinners to replace his dad, Rick never returned to school. Instead he got a job working as a milkman. It wasn’t an easy way to make money at first. Rick would tell his family stories of one-time dropping a whole case of milk, getting stuck in an elevator while delivering, and hitting a snow bank with his milk truck. He eventually went to work for two of his brothers, Al and Louie at a gas station they owned in Clifton. He started out pumping gas, and assisting his brothers with auto repair. He then ended up working for Sadewitz Service Garage in Clifton, strictly doing auto repair.
About this time, Rick met a sweet and pretty girl named Helen, also from Clifton. Everyone called her Heidi. Well, Rick and Heidi’s love for each other grew brighter and brighter each day, so they made their vows, marrying on Saturday, July 12, 1952 at Athenia Reformed Church in Clifton. The church was newly built and Rich and Heidi hold the distinct notoriety of being the first couple married there. Following a honeymoon in Florida, they initially settled in Clifton.
Soon after getting married, Rick and Heidi welcomed their firstborn, a baby girl which they named Gale.
It didn’t take long for everybody’s Uncle Sam to figure out Rick and Heidi’s new address. One day Uncle Sam sent Rick a letter, telling him he was drafted to serve in the Army. The United States was involved in the Korean War so off to service Rick went. That was 1952 and Rick served in the U.S. Army for two years, returning home in 1954, welcomed by his beautiful bride and his baby girl Gale. He came home a corporal and very proud to have had the opportunity to be a defender of the freedoms that all Americans enjoy. For his service to his country Rick was bestowed the Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, the Presidential Unit Citation, the United States Service Medal, and the National Defense Medal.
After returning from Korea, Rick and Heidi were blessed with their second child – another girl which they named Leslie. This growing family moved to Wayne in 1962 and they’ve called Wayne their hometown ever since. Eventually, Rich and Heidi were blessed with that little boy they were probably waiting for and they named him Alan.
Rick continued working for Sadewitz Service Center before moving on to Schumacher Chevrolet in Little Falls. He eventually landed a job repairing engines for All Service Contractors Equipment in Pompton Plains. He enjoyed a career there that spanned twenty years until his retirement in 1995.
Rick’s mechanical gifts extended beyond his ability to make engines run well. While many people brought their cars to his house to be serviced or repaired, Rick was also a talented electrician, plumber and carpenter and he did most of the work on his own house. His family dubbed him the “king of home remedy.”
Rick was a good man who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it more than him. He often fixed people’s cars for them, most-of-the-time refusing any sort of compensation for the work he did.
Rick loved to fish, and his son Alan recalls great times as Rick took him fishing every weekend during his growing-up years. Favorite fishing holes included Wawayanda State Park, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, and Lake Musconetcong. They usually rented a boat and they never, ever missed opening day of trout season.
Rick also loved the peaceful act of communing with God’s creation, spending time growing and cultivating his gardens……and beautiful gardens they were! He enjoyed flowers, especially roses, and fruit trees – both peach and cherry. He also grew prize-winning tomatoes and peppers. On Sundays Rick would prepare all the family meals for the coming week and you can bet they included some of the bountiful crops from his own garden. His daughters and son describe Rick as “a great cook” who made family favorites including lasagna, pork roast, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa on Sundays for the Giants game, and some kind-of Hungarian soup recipe that was given to him by his mother whose name no one could pronounce, so they just called it “Hungarian Hooshfalosh.”
Rick enjoyed watching Yankee and Giant games and sometimes while rooting them on, he’d entertain himself by sketching and doodling. He was actually very talented and typically enjoyed sketching birds and people.
While deeply saddened by his parting, his family takes comfort in the fact that he’s once-again reunited with his beloved wife Helen Florence, “Heidi” who passed away just a little over two weeks ago on February 17, 2015. They were blessed with a happy marriage that spanned 62 years and now their relationship continues.
Surviving are Rick’s three dear children: Gale Meyers of Hopatcong, Leslie and husband Bill Seltmann of Green Township, and Alan Meyers of Bloomingdale; and three adored grandchildren: Matthew and wife Larissa, Samantha, and Jake Seltmann. He was predeceased by all of his siblings.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Rich’s and his wife Heidi’s name are asked to consider the Alzheimer’s Association 400 Morris Ave, Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834, or Passaic Valley Hospice 783 Riverview Drive, Totowa, NJ 07512.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday, March 9, 2015 from 4-8PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 11 AM from the funeral home.
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday, March 9, 2015 from 4-8PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 11 AM from the funeral home.
Richard “Rick” Meyers, age 83, of Wayne, died unexpectedly on Thursday, March 5, 2015.
Born in Garfield, Rick was raised in Clifton and had been a resident of Wayne for the past 53 years.
When Rick was just thirteen years old, his father passed away. Rick was just finishing eighth grade, but with a need for new breadwinners to replace his dad, Rick never returned to school. Instead he got a job working as a milkman. It wasn’t an easy way to make money at first. Rick would tell his family stories of one-time dropping a whole case of milk, getting stuck in an elevator while delivering, and hitting a snow bank with his milk truck. He eventually went to work for two of his brothers, Al and Louie at a gas station they owned in Clifton. He started out pumping gas, and assisting his brothers with auto repair. He then ended up working for Sadewitz Service Garage in Clifton, strictly doing auto repair.
About this time, Rick met a sweet and pretty girl named Helen, also from Clifton. Everyone called her Heidi. Well, Rick and Heidi’s love for each other grew brighter and brighter each day, so they made their vows, marrying on Saturday, July 12, 1952 at Athenia Reformed Church in Clifton. The church was newly built and Rich and Heidi hold the distinct notoriety of being the first couple married there. Following a honeymoon in Florida, they initially settled in Clifton.
Soon after getting married, Rick and Heidi welcomed their firstborn, a baby girl which they named Gale.
It didn’t take long for everybody’s Uncle Sam to figure out Rick and Heidi’s new address. One day Uncle Sam sent Rick a letter, telling him he was drafted to serve in the Army. The United States was involved in the Korean War so off to service Rick went. That was 1952 and Rick served in the U.S. Army for two years, returning home in 1954, welcomed by his beautiful bride and his baby girl Gale. He came home a corporal and very proud to have had the opportunity to be a defender of the freedoms that all Americans enjoy. For his service to his country Rick was bestowed the Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, the Presidential Unit Citation, the United States Service Medal, and the National Defense Medal.
After returning from Korea, Rick and Heidi were blessed with their second child – another girl which they named Leslie. This growing family moved to Wayne in 1962 and they’ve called Wayne their hometown ever since. Eventually, Rich and Heidi were blessed with that little boy they were probably waiting for and they named him Alan.
Rick continued working for Sadewitz Service Center before moving on to Schumacher Chevrolet in Little Falls. He eventually landed a job repairing engines for All Service Contractors Equipment in Pompton Plains. He enjoyed a career there that spanned twenty years until his retirement in 1995.
Rick’s mechanical gifts extended beyond his ability to make engines run well. While many people brought their cars to his house to be serviced or repaired, Rick was also a talented electrician, plumber and carpenter and he did most of the work on his own house. His family dubbed him the “king of home remedy.”
Rick was a good man who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it more than him. He often fixed people’s cars for them, most-of-the-time refusing any sort of compensation for the work he did.
Rick loved to fish, and his son Alan recalls great times as Rick took him fishing every weekend during his growing-up years. Favorite fishing holes included Wawayanda State Park, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong, and Lake Musconetcong. They usually rented a boat and they never, ever missed opening day of trout season.
Rick also loved the peaceful act of communing with God’s creation, spending time growing and cultivating his gardens……and beautiful gardens they were! He enjoyed flowers, especially roses, and fruit trees – both peach and cherry. He also grew prize-winning tomatoes and peppers. On Sundays Rick would prepare all the family meals for the coming week and you can bet they included some of the bountiful crops from his own garden. His daughters and son describe Rick as “a great cook” who made family favorites including lasagna, pork roast, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa on Sundays for the Giants game, and some kind-of Hungarian soup recipe that was given to him by his mother whose name no one could pronounce, so they just called it “Hungarian Hooshfalosh.”
Rick enjoyed watching Yankee and Giant games and sometimes while rooting them on, he’d entertain himself by sketching and doodling. He was actually very talented and typically enjoyed sketching birds and people.
While deeply saddened by his parting, his family takes comfort in the fact that he’s once-again reunited with his beloved wife Helen Florence, “Heidi” who passed away just a little over two weeks ago on February 17, 2015. They were blessed with a happy marriage that spanned 62 years and now their relationship continues.
Surviving are Rick’s three dear children: Gale Meyers of Hopatcong, Leslie and husband Bill Seltmann of Green Township, and Alan Meyers of Bloomingdale; and three adored grandchildren: Matthew and wife Larissa, Samantha, and Jake Seltmann. He was predeceased by all of his siblings.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Rich’s and his wife Heidi’s name are asked to consider the Alzheimer’s Association 400 Morris Ave, Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834, or Passaic Valley Hospice 783 Riverview Drive, Totowa, NJ 07512.
Guestbook