The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

A memorial service for Verland "Bud" J. Meyer will be held Saturday, June 10, 2023, at Hope Lutheran Church in Everly. Pastor Dan Taylor will officiate. Visitation will be held Friday, June 9, from 4-6 p.m. at Warner Funeral Home in Everly.

Pallbearers are Iesha Toft, Colton Meyer, Kinsey Meyer, Jane Pomranky, Joelle Brown and Thomas Brown. Honorary pallbearers are George Hintz, Gary Scharnberg, VerDon Schmidt, Lanny Dillingham, Robert Schoelerman and Bruce Harden. Interment will be in Lone Tree Cemetery near Everly. Warner Funeral Home is assisting with the arrangements.

Verland "Bud" Meyer was born on Dec. 22, 1936 to Julius R. Meyer and Elva Eichhorn. He was their only son and he had three older sisters: Lola, Darlene and Bonnie. He was born and raised on a farm north of Everly and graduated from Everly High School in 1954. Following graduation, he started farming.

He married Arlene Schmidt, of Moneta, in August of 1958 at Hope Lutheran Church in Everly. In August 1959, daughter Lori was born and in October 1961, son Todd was born. In 1968, they moved onto his parents' home place and lived there until moving into Everly in 1995. Along with farming he sold seed corn for a number of years, and in 1975 started a snowmobile business on the farm.

Bud served on several boards over the years, including 26 years on the Evertek Board. He also enjoyed the privilege of being Everly's mayor for 16 years. Bud served six years on the Everly Industrial Development Board and nine years on the Clay County Conservation Board. Bud was very involved in the vision and development of Scharnberg Park, and he and Arlene were the first to camp at the new park. Bud also had booths and displays for many years at the Clay County Fair and he loved seeing and visiting with people on the fairgrounds.

Bud was a member of Hope Lutheran Church where he served as president, deacon and on the Endowment Committee. Other organizations he was involved with included Lions Club, Centennial Committee, Clay County 4-H Committee, and he was a founding member of the Everly Heritage Museum Board. Bud was also instrumental in the conception and building of the Hap Ketelsen Community Building. He was always a strong supporter of Everly and the surrounding community, and he did his very best to lead Everly in a forward, positive manner.

Bud enjoyed fishing and hunting, playing ball, the Minnesota Twins, and he followed the Iowa and Iowa State teams over the years. A favorite summer activity was camping, especially when the six grandkids would join them for the weekend. Spending time with his kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and watching them in all their activities made for special memories. Bud was a great storyteller and they all loved listening to him share his experiences. He was the foundation of the family and they will miss him dearly.

Bud passed away on May 24, 2023 at the Spencer Hospital, at the age of 86. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Lola Meyer, LaVonne "Bonnie" Watters and Darlene Klett; and granddaughter, Molly Brown.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Arlene, of Hartley (Everly); daughter, Lori (Mark) Brown, of Sheldon; son, Todd (Tracy) Meyer, of Everly; grandchildren: Iesha (Josh) Toft, Colton (Laura) Meyer, Jane (Luke) Pomranky, Kinsey Meyer, Joelle (Jeffrey Ding) Brown and Thomas (Hailey) Brown; and great-grandchildren: Liam, Livon, Dorothy and Vera Toft, and Miles and Violet Pomranky.