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Obituary: Archie Augustine Meyers, 1916-2011
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Archie Augustine Meyers was born July 23, 1916 and passed away Sunday, April 10, 2011, at the J.B. Wood Nursing Home in High Prairie at the age of 94 years.
Archie was born at Leicester, near Peavine, to James Meyers and Catherine (Dion) Meyers. He was the second oldest of four children.
Archie grew up on a farm in the area now known as Meyers Lake with his sister, Mary, and brothers Peter and Johnny. As a child, Archie fondly remembered spending a lot of time with his Granny Dion. “A spitfire of a woman” he would say with a chuckle, as he recalled seeing this tiny little woman drive a team of horses with ease.
When Archie became school age, he spent three years at the St. Bernard’s Mission in Grouard. There, he made many lifelong friendships. John Giroux was one, Willie Courtorielle another.
Archie began working at an early age and held a variety of jobs. He worked at the lumber mill in Peavine, he was the mailman in Grouard and he worked as a farmhand on various farms in the Peavine and Big Prairie areas. Being a kind-hearted person, he was always quick to lend a helping hand to those in need.
In 1942, at the age of 26 years, Archie joined the army and served with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry Division. Although he did not see any action, he did a tour of duty in the United Kingdom and continental Europe. He was discharged from the Army in 1946, having served four years.
When Archie returned from the army he went back to the family farm to help with the homestead. It was at this time that he met the woman who was to become his life partner, Agnes Johnston.
Although their relationship did not really become established until the late 1950s, Archie and Agnes became fast friends. Together they had three children – two which died in infancy - and a third, Brenda Peterson, who is here today. Agnes passed away in 1998.
As an adult, Archie continued to hold a variety of jobs. He continued to work as a farmhand. Later, he hauled fuel for Shell Canada and still later he became a custodian for the Government of Alberta, Treasury Branch, and Legion. Archie worked right up until he was 80 years old!
Archie had many interests, one of which was gardening. He spent countless hours outside tending to his garden and his lawn. He even spent a few years tending to the lawns at the Catholic cemetery.
Archie was also well known for his love of bingo, especially as he got older. When he resided at Pleasantview Lodge and could no longer drive to bingo, he would find a way to get there, if Brenda couldn’t take him. Archie and his friend, Willie Coutorielle, who also resided at the lodge, could often be seen hitchhiking down the road to bingo! Many a time Brenda would get a phone call from a concerned friend about Archie’s hitchhiking! When his granddaughter, Amy, started driving, he would phone her up and convince her to take him and Willie to bingo!
Archie enjoyed people and would spend countless hours visiting sick people in the hospital and the aged at the nursing home. He took the time to chat with people and was always genuinely interested in what a person had to say.
Children were drawn to his kindness and gentle ways, thus he became uncle, dad, and grandpa to many children. Archie loved his family deeply and always enjoyed visits from his grandchildren and especially his great-grand children!
As he got older he became very spiritual. He enjoyed daily readings of the Bible and attending church. Every summer - and for as long as his health would allow – he would attend the Lac St. Anne Pilgrimage. He also came into the habit of praying the Rosary, a daily habit that would continue to his final days.
Brenda was constantly looking for Rosary beads because Archie would lose them, break them or just wear them out! He liked to have two or three different ones at any given time. When Archie became ill, Brenda and the girls took it upon themselves to learn the Rosary and took turns praying the Rosary for him.
Archie also took great pride in his Metis heritage. He loved to talk Cree and did so every chance he got.
In 2003 Archie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a debilitating disease that slowly robs the body’s mobility. His faith in God helped him to cope with this condition.
Archie’s fight against this disease ended April 10, 2011, where he quietly passed away at the J.B, Nursing Home with his family by his side.
Archie’s memory will forever live on in those lives he touched, but especially with his family. His favourite phrases such as, “It will all come out in the wash” (when anyone was worried about the outcome of something) or “That’s just the way it is” (to end a discussion that was going nowhere) and “Have a little bite to eat” (when he was inviting someone to join him for a meal) and his most favorite “Toodle-oo” (which he liked to say, instead of saying good-bye) will live on in his family.
Archie leaves to mourn: one brother, Peter Meyers; one daughter, Brenda (Johnston) Peterson and her husband, Harold; five grandchildren including Gabriel Johnston-Peterson, Amy (Ryan) Norquay, Henry (Kayla) Peterson, Elizabeth Peterson and Ethan Peterson; five 5 great-grandchildren including Charleigh, Jordan, Calvin, Blayne and Mikail; and his added family, Yvonne Johnston, Lauralei (Philip) Rose, Tony Laboucan, Kathryn Lainchbury, Macheala Rose and Koltin Rose; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral for Archie Meyers was held April 18, 2011 at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in High Prairie with Father Tony Chakkunga V.C. officiating. Pallbearers were Gabriel Johnston-Peterson, Henry Peterson, Ethan Peterson, Tony Laboucan, Phillip Rose and Ryan Norquay. Honourary Pallbearers were Harold Peterson, John Willier, Marcel Auger and Louis Haggerty. The eulogist was Kim Dumont. Internment followed in St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Cemetery.
If friends so desire, donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Society of Alberta as an expression of sympathy.
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