Meyer E. Nelson

Meyer E. Nelson, 87, of Shawnee, Kansas (formerly of Garden City, Wichita and Hutchinson, Kansas), passed away March 17, 2017. Meyer was born to George O. and Viola (Meyer) Nelson on March 14, 1930 in Satanta, KS.

Meyer’s grandfather, George W., homesteaded in McPherson County, Kansas in the 1880’s, qualifying the Nelson Family to be registered as a Kansas Pioneer Family.  Before he was born, Meyer’s family moved to western Kansas, first to a farm in Haskell County eventually moving to Garden City where Meyer graduated from Garden City High School in 1948.  Following graduation he attended the University of Kansas where played trumpet for the KU Band.  He married Vanita I. Minter in Garden City on June 10, 1951.  Following their marriage, Meyer and Vanita moved to Wichita, Kansas.  He was drafted soon after and they moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he was assigned to the Army Band and where their daughter, Sheila, was born.  Following his discharge from the Army, they returned to Wichita where Meyer graduated from Wichita State University and went to work for Beech Aircraft.  While at Beech, one of his duties was to manage the Employee’s Club, where he booked musical acts during the mid-1950’s, including the Ink Spots and a relative unknown, Ricky Nelson.

Meyer left Beech to work for Burrough’s Corporation and then decided to carry on the Nelson Family tradition of pioneering in the new field of computers.  He and Vanita operated Nelson Business Services in Hutchinson, Kansas during the 1960’s.  After the business closed, Meyer began consulting, designing and implementing computer systems throughout the Midwest.  During this time, they relocated to the Kansas City area.  His last career stop was with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Following Vanita’s Lyme Disease diagnosis in the early 1990’s, Meyer and Vanita co-founded the Lyme Association of Greater KC to help raise awareness of the, at that time, little-known disease and to support the growing number of people affected by it.  Meyer was very pleased with the good work that continues to be done by this organization.

Throughout his adult life teaching was a theme for Meyer.   He taught data processing classes at business schools and area junior colleges.  He taught Sunday School at every church where he and Vanita were members - most recently the Pathfinders Class at Monticello United Methodist Church.  Following his retirement, Meyer went to work at the Agricultural Hall of Fame, where he portrayed an 1800’s schoolteacher in the one-room schoolhouse, along with driving the miniature train.

Meyer loved animals, particularly his beloved poodle, Bridget.  He enjoyed photography and was an accomplished calligrapher.  Music remained important to him throughout his life - even teaching himself the keyboard in his 80’s.  Most of all though - he loved KU Basketball and March Madness!

Meyer was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 56 years, Vanita I. (Minter); and brothers Melvin, Earnest, Jarrell, and Leland. He is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Sheila and Jim Rice, also of Shawnee; sisters- and brothers-in-law Shirley Nelson, Ken (Geneva) Minter, Jack (Daphene) Minter, Peg Minter, and Bev (Minter) Dreiling; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Friday, March 24, at Amos Family Funeral Home, 10901 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS 66203.

A funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 25, at Monticello United Methodist Church, 23860 W 75 St, Shawnee, KS 66227.  Interment will follow in Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to:

Lyme Association of Greater Kansas City
P.O. Box 25853
Overland Park, KS 66225

or

Monticello United Methodist Church
23860 W 75th St
Shawnee, KS 66227