Junior Meiers, 79, of Avon

Funeral services are 10:30 AM, Friday, January 17, 2014 at the First Baptist Church in Avon. Burial is in the church cemetery, rural Avon, with Military Honors. Visitation with family present will be Thursday from 5:30 to 7 PM at the church.

Junior A. Meiers was born Feb. 23, 1934 to George A. and Marion L. (Engler) Meiers in Avon, SD. He died Monday, January 13, 2014 at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls.
Junior attended country school at Myrtle School in Bon Homme County.

Junior ran heavy equipment while working on the Oahe Dam up until the time he was drafted. He served in the 8th Calvary of the US Army in North Korea.

Junior was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Avon on May 23, 1954. He loved his heavenly father and his faith was important to him.

On September 21, 1959, he was united in marriage to Dona C. Weisz at Avon, SD. After the service, he farmed the rest of his life. Junior's grandpa homesteaded in Bon Homme County and Junior was a third generation farmer. He also worked at the Avon Livestock and became part owner with Rueben Gall from 1977-1979. He continued to work at the Avon and Wagner sale barn as an auctioneer and also auctioneered at farm sales for many years. Junior worked as a seed corn and feed dealer and did a lot of custom work, combining, baling, windrowing as well as hauling hay. He was a very hard working man and loved to work with his hands. He could fix almost anything and enjoyed blacksmithing and mechanical work. Spring, summer, fall and winter he could always be found, in his spare time, in the shop making things and altering things to make them work better or easier.

Junior was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather and loved all of his children and grandchildren. He especially loved when his grandchildren would come to visit him. He loved to care for the land and the livestock which the Lord allowed him to have. He had a love of hunting, fishing, gun collecting, stock car racing, and enjoying coffee with his children, friends and anyone. He also enjoyed cards, especially pinocle, polka and square dancing and was a great horseman.

Thankful for having shared his life are his wife, Dona C. of Avon; five children: Brian of Belle Fourche, Randy (Michelle) of Wagner, Jim of Avon, Kenny of Harrisburg and Shereen of Avon; 14 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; two brothers: Arnold "Mick Meiers of Greenville, SC, Lauren (Sylvia) Meiers of Avon; and sister, Darlene Bye of Dell Rapids.

Junior was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers: LaVelle, Glenn and Leroy Meiers; and two sisters: Laurene Mitchell and Maureen Hassan; and several aunts and uncles.