William "Bill" Meyer

Bill’s journey began in Miami, Florida on May 8, 1934 and ended in New Smyrna Beach on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at his residence. 

He has had a long and interesting life and was fortunate to have loving parents and sister that helped him through the early years. After graduating from Miami Edison in 1952, he went to work for Uncle Sam on one of the Navy destroyers patrolling the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean. Bill had a wonderful experience visiting different ports and meeting different kinds of people. 

He left the Navy in 1956 and enrolled at the University of Florida. After giving it a couple of semesters, he decided college was not for him and returned to Miami where he found a job with Western Electric. Now at the age of 24, Bill’s good fortune continued, his journey led him to a beautiful young woman and it was love at first sight. She had lived in the Miami area many years and attended the same schools and church as he did. She also had 3 children from a previous marriage who he adopted as his very own soon after they were married. Bill loved her so much and was looking forward to sharing all that marriage and family would bring forward in their life together. 

At the age of 25, he gave little thought to his longevity. Bill was very busy with his family and job; then he realized he was 35 and he barely noticed the years flew by. Then he woke up one morning and he was 50. Bill often would tell himself that he must slow his train down, that he is missing much along the way. He tried to spend more time with his children. Even though everyone was busy with their own children and work schedules, all the kids were able to spend as much time as they could. 

After working for Western Electric for 28 years, he decided to leave and go into flying and flight instruction. He enjoyed this part time while at Western and then once retiring from Western Electric, devoted most of his time to flight training. He worked at several flight schools and taught a lot of student pilots, some of which went on to become airline pilots. 

He and his wife would go on trips, cruises and life was good. Bill often would review how fast the years streamed by in a dream that came often; he would say to himself, how can I slow this train? Then he would wake up and realize there is no slowing this train of his life. Bill would say that he paid his fair at birth and he would reach his destination someday. 

Bill was very fortunate to have a loving mother, father, and sister to start him on his journey and it ended with his loving wife and children by his side. He couldn’t have asked for more. 

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Bettijean; son, Jim Meyer, of New Smyrna Beach; daughters, Vassa Neimark, of Ormond Beach; Marilyn (Paul) Sharp, of Cooper City;
Jacquelyn (Lee) Lewis, of DeLand; and Valerie Meyer, of Mims; granddaughters, Darq-Amber Neimark, Melanie Marconi, Briana Marconi, and Laura Ramshaw; grandsons, Dashiel Neimark, Brandon Sharp, and Ryan Rivas; great grandchildren, Katherine Ramshaw and Julian Marconi. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Rolla  L. and Ruth Meyer, sister, Mary Lou Brinkmann, and brother, James Meyer. 

Memorial service will be 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at Settle-Wilder Funeral Home, with Chaplain Dave Whitman, Gentiva Hospice, officiating.

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