Gail J. Meyer

Gail Jean (Riggs) Meyer, 64, 4053 240th Street, Clear Lake, passed away July 7, 2016 at Hospice of North Iowa.

In lieu of funeral services, a free-will concert “Celebration in Sound!” will be held Aug. 14, at 3 p.m., at the Clear Lake United Methodist Church, 508 2nd Avenue North, in Clear Lake, organized by Mary Jane Crail.  Coffee, cookies, and ice cream will be offered at the church following the concert.  North Iowa musicians, artists, and instrumentalists are invited to share their love of music.

A private family interment will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of North Iowa, North Iowa Organ Guild, or Uni Vocis Choral.

Gail was born March 30, 1952, in Clinton, Iowa, the third child of Robert and Florence (Farnham) Riggs.  Gail grew up in Seoul, Korea, where her parents served from 1956 to 1968 as missionaries commissioned by the Board of Global Ministries of the Methodist Church to serve at Severance Hospital and Yonsei University Medical College in Seoul, Korea.  In the post Korean War years, Robert oversaw the building of a new 365 bed, 1,500 outpatient/day hospital, medical school and nursing school on the Yonsei University campus in Seoul, Korea.  The four Riggs children attended Seoul Foreign School (SFS), a K-12 school for English-speaking children.  Gail attended SFS from kindergarten through her sophomore year.  SFS left a lasting education and stamp on her life by exploring and exposing her to all facets of education, theater, music, religion, science, math, arts and sports.  Gail kept up a relationship with the school by serving for the past 20 years as President of Friends of Seoul Foreign School, a U.S. based non-profit support organization to the school in Korea.

In Korea, Gail and her siblings enjoyed the freedom and safety to travel all over the city of Seoul, experiencing the activities, diversity, and excitement of an oriental culture.  The Riggs family lived on Sajik Dong Mountain overlooking downtown Seoul.  Their compound actually sat on the “fortress city wall” of the ancient city of Seoul.  This led to many explorations and hikes along the wall remnants.

Summers were spent at the “Riggs” cabin at the beach near Taechon, Korea.  Days were spent swimming, hanging out with friends, and playing marathon games of Monopoly or Rook.  It was in Korea that Gail found her love of athletics and swimming.  She was the first girl to win the Underwood Cup, previously an exclusively men’s swimming cup, and the Girl’s Swimming Cup, both when she was 14 years old.

Gail’s love of music came from several sources.  Her mom and dad were always singing and involved in musical activities.  Florence was a self-taught pianist, and Robert had actually been trained in operatic singing at the University of Iowa.  Then there were the aunts and uncles of the “Riggs Clan”, who sing at every opportunity, and not just simply, but in full choral, or barbershop harmony.

In 1968, Robert and Florence completed their mission term and returned to Clinton.  Gail graduated from Clinton High School in 1970 and went on to the University of Northern Iowa to earn a BS degree in Health and Physical Education.  There she met Lothar Meyer, and they married on Aug. 18, 1973.  Two days before the wedding, Lothar was offered a job at Clear Lake High School, which he accepted.  Their honeymoon on Saturday was spent driving to Clear Lake, to find housing for Lothar.  The Monday after the wedding Lothar went to work and Gail headed back to married housing in Cedar Falls, Iowa to finish her last year at UNI.

After finishing school at UNI, Gail joined Lothar in Clear Lake.  Gail found occasional jobs substitute teaching, but eventually went back to school at NIACC and earned her Associate of Science in Mechanical Design, graduating with top class honors.  Clear Lake was a short driving distance to Charles City, where Lothar’s parents, George and Toni lived.  There were many fun visits and dinners at Charles City.

As far as careers – Gail had heard Gene Matthews, a Korean missionary, speak, and he said, “Not all of us are called to foreign soils, but our calling is right here.  It is our challenge to discover the “mission” God has set for us right here, right now.  That is actually harder than those who have been “called” to the mission field.”

This remark stayed with Gail all her life, and she would strive to learn what and why God called her to particular jobs and professions.  Twenty-one years of Gail’s working career were spent at Lehigh Portland Cement Company, in Mason City, where she worked in engineering for the first 10 years, and as Safety Director for the next 11 years.  Despite the inherently dangerous working conditions, there was never a fatality during her watch.  (God is good all the time!).

Gail dedicated the next 15 years serving as Safety Officer at Mercy Medical Center, North Iowa, with the goal of making it the safest hospital for both patients and employees.  Gail always felt blessed that God had given her such a privileged mission to keep people safe and happy at their workplace.  Each day she reminded herself to be on the lookout for those opportunities from God.

Lothar and Gail were blessed on April 26, 1984, with the birth of their first son, Joseph Frederick Meyer.  A second blessing came with the birth of Andrew Loren Meyer, on June 30, 1986.  Both boys attended and graduated from Clear Lake Community Schools.  Lothar continued to teach and coach in the Clear Lake Community School system.  Gail coached, refereed, announced, sang (the National Anthem) and participated in multiple sports and outdoor activities.  Lothar and Gail had done extensive camping and hiking around the United States before the boys were born, and they continued the camping experience with the boys, moving from backpacking into RV camper trips.  Gail also enjoyed many years of playing volleyball with the Owls in Mason City, and then the TOTP (Too Old To Play) Clear Lake team. At one time, the Clear Lake team was quite a competitive force, and played in tournaments around the State.

Gail was an active member of Clear Lake United Methodist Church, serving on boards, other volunteer groups, and singing in the choir and Praise Team.  She was privileged to be in several community theater productions, “The Sound of Music”, “Music Man”, and lastly, one of her bucket list wishes, “Amahl and The Three Night Visitors”.  She was also a member of the wonderful and highly talented group Uni Vocis, lead by Dennis Lee.

She is survived by her husband, Lothar; two sons, Joe (Sarah) and Andrew (Sara), grandson, Luke; brother, Brian (Gail) Riggs; brother-in-law, Jim (Sondrh) Matre; and nephews, Jay (Lisa and Ben) Matre, Shea (Suzanne) Jefferson, and Dan Riggs; and nieces, Concetta DiMarino (Rob, Ethan and Everett), and Charlotte Riggs.

Gail was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Florence; her older sister, Ruth Ann; younger brother, Eric, and by Lothar’s parents, George and Toni Meyer.

The greatest gifts have been those given by God: love, life, family.  It might seem too early to leave because there is so much left to see and do, but Gail has gone to that greater place.  Don’t be sad, but glad, because she is with the Lord now, and all the saints in heaven.  Bless each of you and enjoy life and love to your fullest!

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.