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Richard Louis Meyer • 1927 - 2003 Richard Louis Meyer, 76, 1822 8th St SW, Minot, died Saturday, September 6, 2003, at his home. Richard Louis Meyer came aboard the train of life August 8, 1927, in his boyhood home in Minot, the son of August P. and Elsie (Van Housen) Meyer. He was raised and educated in Minot and graduated from Minot Senior High School in 1945. In 1944, in high school he was the first person to earn a letter in Dramatics and in 1945 he earned his second. As a teenager he had a Kelsey printing press and he printed business cards, tickets, tags and personal stationery. His two hobbies of printing and model trains grew into his vocation in the graphics arts industry. After high school he served in the United States Navy from June 1945, to August 1946, and was stationed in Galveston, TX. He attended the Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN, from 1946 to 1948. He enrolled in the college of Engineering with the intention of becoming a Railway Mechanical Engineer specializing in designing railroad equipment. After college he worked for Service Printers in Minot. He started his own commercial printing business, RLM Printing in June of 1948, at the age of 21, in the basement of his father and uncle's Minot Steam Laundry. In 1950, he moved his business to Sterns Motor Company building. In 1953, he built his own building and moved RLM Printing Company into that building on South Broadway the home of "Pica Pete" which is a U.S. registered trademark. He purchased Champion Decal Company on May 1, 1963, which manufactures model train decals. He ran both businesses for a number of years and eventually sold RLM but continued to run Champion Decal Company. He married Connie (Sundbakken) Emil on June 12, 1987, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Minot. He was the first publisher of the Minot Air Force Base newspaper "The Sentry," for approximately three years. He was a charter member of the Minot Exchange club. He wrote the Exchange Bulletin every week for over 50 years. He was life member #69 of the National Model Railroad Association since 1943. He was a founding board member of the Model Railroad Industry Association. He was a member of the Thousand Lake Region National Model Railroaders Association and printed the "Fusee" its newsletter for many years. He was a life-long member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in
Minot up until three years ago when he joined New Life Lutheran
Church in Minot. At St. Paul's he held positions as financial
secretary, Sunday school teacher, Finance Chairperson, head usher,
and he served two terms as a board member on the North Dakota
District LCMS. He was a former member of the Mouse River Players.
He was also a board chairman for the Good Shepard Lutheran School.
Until his death he served on the board of the Minot Railroad
Museum and was a trustee at New Life Lutheran Church. Richard loved his wife, daughters, nieces, nephews, family and friends and his dog Happy very much. He enjoyed attending plays and community concerts. Richard loved his trains. He was a very giving man and donated to various charities and his church. He was once married to Bernice Dockter. Survivors: wife, Connie, Minot; daughters, Kimberly (Bruce) Whittemore, Minot, Shelly Emil, and Karla Emil, both of Minneapolis, MN; brother, Melvin Meyer, Seattle, WA, sisters-in-law, Verna Meyer, Aurora, CO and Lois Meyer, Fargo, ND; mother-in-law, Rosella Sundbakken, Minot; sister-in-law, Adriene Miller, Minot; brother-in-law, Larry (Marlys) Sundbakken, Minot; nieces and nephews, Susan (Larry) Jungwirth, David (Erin) Meyer, Janet Meyer, Paul, Tom, Jim Meyer, Kay Dudek, John and Philip Meyer. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Helen Erasmus, brothers, Edwin and Harold Meyer and father-in-law, Clifford Sundbakken Funeral Service: Tuesday, September 9, 2003, 1 p.m. at New Life Lutheran Church, located on 46th Ave NE, Minot. Visitation: Monday, September 8, 2003, from Noon until 7 p.m. at the Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot. Prayer Service: Monday, September 8, 2003 at 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot. Burial will take place at 3:30 p.m. Memorials are preferred to New Life Lutheran Church, the Railroad Museum, or to the donor's choice. Officiant: Rev. Dale Zastrow Music Honorary Bearers: Dick Schall, Harris Kenner, Russell
Wilcox, Charles Filipek, Gene Rupp Active Bearers: Larry Sundbakken, Bruce Whittemore, Dennis Klimpel, Duane Tollefson Don Strandberg, Willard Erdman |