William J. Meyer Jr

William (Bill) John Meyer, Jr. (Moose), 86, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, formerly of Taylorville, IL, passed away on August 20, 2016. Bill, son of William J., Sr. and Phyllis (Roche) Meyer, was born on September 5, 1929, in Oak Park, IL. He graduated from Riverside-Brookfield High School in 1947, where he was the first wrestler from RBHS to go to the State Finals. Bill then attended DuPage Community College in Lyons, IL, where he was a member of the baseball team and received an offer to pitch from the Chicago White Sox organization, but refused the offer to attend the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign to major in pre-law. After graduating from U of I in 1951, Bill graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law and passed the Bar Exam in 1953. Upon graduation from law school, he enlisted in the Navy, and was sent to the 1st Naval District in Boston, Mass. as an Ensign in the Legal Department.

It was here that Bill met one of his secretaries and wife-to-be, Joan Curtis Hersey of Milton, Mass. They married on November 11, 1954, on Armistice Day (now known as Veteran's Day) - his only day off! Soon after, Bill was transferred to San Diego, CA, where he was a Legal Officer on the U.S.S. Ajax, a repair ship. Bill and Joan's first child, William John III (Billy) was born after they moved to San Diego and within the year, Bill received an Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Navy. The family returned to the Chicago area where he accepted a position with Chicago Title & Trust. They settled in Lombard, IL, and welcomed their second son, Steven Edward.

In 1957, the family moved to Taylorville, IL, where Bill continued his legal career first with Hershey & Bliss, and later as a Trust Officer with First Trust & Savings Bank. In 1962, Bill accepted a position and partnership with Clark H. Miley, and the Miley & Meyer Law Firm was established. In 1963, their third child, a daughter, Alison Brooks, joined the family. Bill was a Taylorville Alderman, City Attorney, a Director at First Trust Bank, and Taylorville's Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1985. He was a low-handicap and avid golfer, winning many championships, including the City and Taylorville Country Club championships. During the fall, Bill and Joan had season tickets to the St. Louis Cardinal football games (Hoo-Ray for the BIG RED!), where they became life-long friends with the group of St. Louis-area season ticket holders in the row below them. On Saturdays of Illinois home football games, Bill and Joan could be seen boarding the Kennedy Bus with all their Taylorville Illini friends for a day of tailgating and cheering for the Fighting Illini!

Bill was the Chairman of Taylorville Night at Busch Stadium for over 10 years, and received an award from the St. Louis Cardinals' baseball organization for bringing the largest crowd from the smallest town. Bill also coached many of his sons' baseball and basketball teams, and belonged to a weekly Bowling League at the Olde Bowl for many years. He was a talented athlete, artist, and musician - with his specialties including the Boom Bass and the Spoons. His artistry included beautiful paintings, carvings and his famous (and infamous) doodles!

Bill celebrated 50 years in the American Bar Association in 2003, and retired from his legal career, now known as Meyer, Austin & Romano, and focused on his love of carving duck decoys. Family and friends were blessed with these original and detailed works of art! He and Joan were already spending winters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and decided to move there full-time in the summer of 2010. He loved to fish, and take friends and especially his grandchildren on boat rides around the Intercoastal and Port Everglades to see the manatees and cruise ships. He and Joan travelled extensively, and especially loved to go on cruises. He volunteered at Broward General Hospital as a Patient Transport, helping patients in and out of the hospital in their wheelchairs. The last year of his life was difficult, but his eternal life is filled with all of the people and things he loveda�"we are sure he played a round of golf with his best friends as soon as he entered the Pearly Gates! Bill was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, and later a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

He is survived by his wife, Joan, of Taylorville, and three children: William J. Meyer III (Diana) of Monett, MO, Steven E. Meyer (Lisa) of Dallas, TX, and Alison B. (Stephen) Cappellin of Springfield, IL, and their children: Harriett Gayle Meyer of Monett, MO, Scott Evan Meyer of College Station, TX, Stephen Anthony (Tony) Cappellin of Manhattan, KS, and Catherine Brooks Cappellin of Blacksburg, VA. Bill is also survived by a brother, Charles F. Meyer of Brookfield, WI, a sister, Mary Lou Meyer, of Jefferson, WI, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Bill's remains were cremated and will be interred at Oak Hill Cemetery at a later date. A Memorial Service and Mass will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 28, 2016, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Taylorville, Ill. A Celebration of Life will immediately follow the Mass at Angelo's Pizza, Taylorville, IL until 5 p.m. All friends and former colleagues are invited to attend either or both celebrations. Shafer-Perfetti Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Taylorville is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of the following organizations:

Insight for the Blind
1401 NE 4th Avenue
1001 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

Taylorville Public Library
121 West Vine Street
Taylorville, Illinois 62568

Animal Protective League
1001 Taintor Road
Springfield, Illinois 62702

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