Obituary of Amelia Meyer

Longtime Bethune resident, Amelia Christina Meyer passed away on February 26, 2011 at the Grace Manor Care Center in Burlington. She was born on January 8, 1917 to Gottlieb and Katherine (Zweygardt) Beringer near St. Francis, Kansas. She was the oldest of three children. She was baptized in the Christian faith on January 22, 1917 at Salem Lutheran Church, the country church northwest of St. Francis. Amelia got her schooling through the sixth grade in a one room school house. She went to school with a horse and buggy and later drove a Model A Ford the four miles to school. She grew up on the family farm doing chores, milking cows, and feeding the chickens and calves. Being the oldest, she often times had to help her father in the field, weeding corn, shocking feed and stacking it and shucking corn at harvest time she pulled a header barge with a team of horses then would gather up the wheat and haul and stack it. She was confirmed with a class of 18 on June 21, 1931 at Salem’s. She enjoyed singing and sang in the church choir for eight years. Amelia married Reuben Meyer on September 7, 1939 at Salem Lutheran Church by Pastor O. H. Zeilinger. This pastor baptized, confirmed and, married her. She then joined Immanuel Lutheran Church and was an active and faithful member of the church. To this union one son was born Jerry George on May 16, 1942 at the age of 13, a cousin Alma Beringer came to live with Reuben and Amelia after the death of her parents and sister, Irene in an automobile accident. Amelia loved to bake and cook and one of her hobbies was collecting recipes and she also enjoyed embroidery, gardening and caring for her flowers. She also canned many fruits and vegetables. Amelia was preceded in death by her husband Reuben, brother Edwin, cousin Alma, two brother-in-laws and two sister-in-laws. She is survived by her son Jerry of Bethune, sister Clara Meyer of Bethune, sister-in-law La Vera Beringer of St. Francis, Kansas and a very special adopted granddaughter, Connie Reynolds of Billings, Montana and a host of nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.