With all of my continuing health problems and the fact that Rick had done one that was historically incorrect about my father, I decided to write up an obit bio ... and do it My Way.

     I was born (8.3.1950) and raised in Watertown, South Dakota by Ralph H. and Caroline A. (nee Schmidt) Meyer.  I was the first of 5 brothers with Joe, Herb, Rick and Mark following. I played a lot of sports for the Watertown Arrows and the local legion baseball team which we named the Lakers coming home from an away game in Coach Dale McElhany's car. 

     High School was fun with highlights being Jeanette Deville asking me to the Tuck Formal and Coach Gene Schlekeway telling me I was going with him and Mike Murphy to his new coaching position at Black Hills State.  At BH I majored in Math and PE, started all 4 years in both football and baseball and even had the Cincinnati Reds interested until they saw my 40yd dash time. 

     After college there were a couple summers working up at Glacier National Park, a cold winter working on I-29, and a motor trip around the US, before Guam called with a Math Teacher opening.  Two years on Guam, a year teaching PE in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and Math again in Istanbul, Turkey, and I thought my adventure bona fides were set until Jeff Amy asked me “What’s the matter couldn’t you find a job in the States?”

     It was at this time that my parents had tired of Club 20 and were spending an extended working vacation in Reno.  They (my mother) invited me to come too, so there I was.  The next 4 years were crazy.  I’ll summarize it with Reno-Guam-Tampa-Guam and Tammy. 

     After, I was to spend the next 30+ years on Guam with one on the Isle of Wight, UK.  Always looking for the easiest job that paid the most money, I got a Masters degree in Library Science from UHawaii and switched over to the best job in school i.e. School Librarian. 

     And... there was also taking time off to go to the USSR to look for a wife.  I found one too with Lyaylya Raymanova who came to Guam with her 3 year old daughter Asiya.  We had Reed 4 years later. 

     Asiya is now an IT security professional in Fargo.  Reed’s in NYC and worries about me and varies between bartending and being a personal trainer. Good luck guys.  I’ll try to pass on a couple bucks.

Comments?  Always looking for help...

Continuing...

 About this time it's another cancer maintenance checkup and Dr. Perkins has good news and bad.  My mannose  low cost therapy seems to be working fine but I've got fluid around my right lung, a lot of fluid.  So its back to Dr. Modi to get it out.  A week later I'm with Modi and his 4 angels, getting stabbed with a long needle but less uncomfortable than I thought it was going to be.  After the procedure one of the angels told me I was The Champion.  At 3 quarts she'd never seen that much fluid taken out of somebody.  I encouraged them to send that info to Black Hills State as it might help me in my Hall of Fame quest.  And... Barbara finally realizes that I am sick and not just shirking a few household duties.

Catching the Blog up...

Sorry about the lateness but better late...  So I took a trip to Guam to see everybody.  Felt really good when Juanita Alcantra said "Welcome home".  Told everybody it was my  "Atonement Tour".  Saw a lot of good friends but nothing really seemed to be holding me there so after a month I was back on a plane.  The leg from Honolulu to Denver was particularly cold and, sure enough I came down with something 2 days after getting back.  My guess was the latest Covid variation but when I finally went to Acute Care they said no Covid  but with my shot history, etc, it could be Long Covid.  So I'm sick for a month with a couple days where I felt better sprinkled in