James Stevens Meyer

June 28, 1933 – February 24, 2023

James (Jim) Stevens Meyer died on February 24th of natural causes after a long battle with dementia, just a few months shy of his 90th birthday.  He was born in Akron, Ohio, to parents Harold Sexton Meyer and Josephine Wilcox Smith Meyer.  He was the proud and devoted father of four married children and seven grandchildren.

Jim grew up in Akron and attended Buchtel high school and later Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.  He graduated from Ohio University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology.  After school, he joined his brother Bob in the US Navy as an officer in the flight school for carrier pilots in Pensacola, Florida.

After the Navy, Jim returned to Ohio and became a Certified Public Accountant.  He worked for both Ernst & Ernst and Arthur Anderson and had a long career as a financial executive including CFO at Beloit Tool, Lau Industries, McGean Chemical, and Meyer Snowplow.  He finished his corporate career as compliance executive at Standard Oil of Ohio.

Perhaps Jim’s most treasured days were spent at Crystal Lake in Michigan.  This started as visits with his grandparents at their summer cottage which became a family destination for all of Jim’s life.  He enjoyed hosting and spending time with all his family there.  He bought his first boat at the age of 16, a wood hulled C-Scow, and passed on his love of boating to his children who are all active on the water.

A larger portion of Jim’s life was spent in the Chagrin Falls, Ohio, area including many years in the community of Lake Lucerne. He was very active in the community. He was a Kenston school board member, Rotary club member, president of the local chamber of commerce, and on the board at Deaconess Hospital.

Jim was known for his generosity, honesty, and love and trust in his fellow man.  He was very active in the Federated Church and a devoted contributor to the United Church of Christ (UCC) where he was for many years treasurer of the Western Reserve Association and was a past moderator of the Ohio Conference.  He was also on the board of trustees for United Church Homes.  One of his accomplishments was facilitating the movement of UCC national headquarters to 700 Prospect in Cleveland, which he followed by managing the new facility.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Willse Meyer, older brother, Robert Townsend Meyer, and younger sister, Marian Elizabeth (Betty) Meyer Haas

Jim is survived by his younger half-brothers, William D. Meyer, John H. Meyer, and Timothy A. Meyer, and his children, Stephen Wagner Meyer (Judith), David Wilcox Meyer (Kathleen), Robert Willse Meyer (Michelle), and Karen Elizabeth Meyer Howe (Chris).

A memorial service is scheduled at the Federated Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, on Saturday April 8th at 9:30 am.  A reception will follow immediately afterwards at the same location. Condolences and special memories of  Jim  can be shared with his family online at www.heritagecremationsociety.com

Heritage Cremation & Burial Society

(330) 875-5770