Casper Meyer
1927 - 2015
Casper Hendrik Meyer, beloved husband of Lorraine Meyer, passed away in Taber on Thursday, September 10, 2015 at the age of 88 years.
Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Thursday, September 17, 2015 between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. and also at the church prior to the funeral service on Friday, September 18, 2015 between 9:30 A.M. and 10:20 A.M.
The Funeral Service was held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Taber Stake Centre, 4709 - 50 Avenue, Taber on Friday, September 18, 2015 at 10:30 A.M. Burial followed at the Highwood Cemetery, High River at 3:30 P.M.
Besides Rose Lorraine, his loving wife of sixty seven years, he is survived by his children Judith “Judy” (Harold) Jensen of Taber, Debra (Don) Gochenour of Great Falls and Robert Meyer; grandsons Jack T. “Jackie” Evans Jr. and Randall Scott Evans “Randy, the Cow pie kid”; granddaughters Tamara Rose Paris “Tambones” and Kristie Lynn Clewes “Kristie Pooh”.
He was predeceased by his older brothers Ernest Meyer and Bob Meyer and younger brother Bill Meyer.
Cass was born in Calgary on May 11, 1927. Lorraine was born ten hours earlier on May 10 in High River. They waited to get married on May 12, 1948 when they were both twenty one and didn’t need their parent’s permission to get married. Cass was always proud of that fact. They were married and sealed in the Cardston, Alberta temple.
Cass’s mother Margaretha Scheen and father Abraham Meyer, were from Haarlem, Netherlands and immigrated to Canada and settled in the Cardston area shortly after they were married. Abraham or “Bram” as he was affectionately called, died just three weeks shy of Cass turning five years old. His mother never remarried and raised three young boys as a single mother.
Cass grew up in Cardston during most of his younger life. After high school he attended the Calgary Business College where he met his future wife, Lorraine.
Cass and his brother Bill learned to box at a young age and trained together. Most people thought they were twins.Cass taught many a young man how to box, including his grandsons. In 1954 his young family moved to Salt Lake City where he started a career as a retail store manager and worked for a company called W. T. Grants. He and his young family lived in Spokane, Salt Lake City and a few cities in southern California. Cass was transferred with the Grants Co. to El Paso, Texas in 1963. After living there for three years he took seriously ill and was not expected to live. The family returned to Calgary in 1966 where he would renovate homes to financially take care of his family.
In 1956 Cass and Lorraine adopted a beautiful baby girl they named Debra Gail, and then a year and a half later, in 1957 they adopted Debra’s half brother, a cute baby boy they named Robert Ernest.
In 1972 Cass and Lorraine moved to Taber and started a business called CASS’ Family Restaurant. It was known for its ice cream creations and hamburgers and steaks. Then in the late seventies he moved to Lethbridge, then Calgary, then Thomson, Manitoba where he managed large shopping malls. Cass loved animals, especially dogs and horses. He and the Meyer clan were avid golfers and often met for family golf tournaments in Waterton. Cass loved to sing, play the organ, play the keyboard but he was most famous for his love of the saxophone. He loved playing with the Grassy Lake Oilers until his body was ravaged with Parkinson’s and he could no longer lift his sax. For twelve years, every week he would go to the Chinook Regional Hospital and serve the sacrament to any Latter-day Saint that was sick and wanted that ordination. Then, if requested, he would play the hymns on his melodeon for all to enjoy.
Cass loved the outdoors and enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting and boating. He loved to oil paint and would give one of his creations to anyone who wanted one of his paintings and even to those who didn’t want them. Cass and Lorraine were also snowbirds and went to Yuma annually for a few years. Then he was diagnosed with Parkinson and the disease took a hold of him.
His greatest joy was his family. He was very devoted to Lorraine. Cass spoiled his daughter Judy and she was the light of his life. His grandchildren were more like his own children than his grandchildren and he helped raise them.
He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions, including counsellors in a couple of bishoprics, as an ordinance worker at the Cardston Temple with his wife Lorraine and branch president as he served a senior’s mission with his wife in South Africa. He served under the same mission president in South Africa as his grandson, Jack.
Everyone who met Cass loved him. He was kind, humorous, fun to be around and had an even temperament. Cass loved to help people and serve them.