Myron Lemuel Myers

Myron L. (Mike) Myers passed away peacefully in Waveland, MS, on September 26 at the age of 97. He was a native of Lima, OH. He is preceded in death by his spouse of 62 years, Alma J. Myers, daughter Beth E. Myers, two sons, F. Nicholas Myers and Myron Luther Myers II, brother B.J. Myers and parents Myron Luther and Geneva Myers.

He is survived by his second wife of 10 years, Ann Myers of Lafayette, LA, daughter Cassandra M. Breland (Fred), and son Mark E. Myers (Liane) of Waveland. Included are nine grandchildren, Summer Gallotte, McKenzie Breland, Jacob Myers, Chandra Dalton, Isaac Breland, Bonnie Glasgow, Bethany Thomas, Cassandra Myers, and Anna Cucurullo, as well as 20 great-grandchildren.

 He was a WWII veteran serving in the Army Air Corps. He trained as a belly gunner and a tail gunner and attained the rank of Sergeant. Upon Honorable Discharge, Mike received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Washington State University.

Mike worked from the time he could hold a shovel until he retired from NASA in 1987.  His two proudest achievements were working for the Corp of Engineers as the Structural Engineer on the McNary Dam and the Dexter Dam spanning the Columbia River in Washington state and working for the U.S. Army Missile Command in 1959 on a project to colonize the Moon.

In 1962, Mike joined NASA  and worked with Wernher von Braun on the development of the Saturn V heavy lift moon launch vehicle and later he was instrumental in preparations for the Apollo Moon Landing on July 20, 1969.

Mike loved to learn.  At the age of 84, he took up pastel painting. He had never attempted art before and was amazingly good and prolific.

He was a leader in the Church serving as President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Elder in two churches. He taught Sunday School and filled in during the absence of the Pastor. He volunteered in many capacities for the mentally and physically handicapped and served as President of the Parent Association at the South Mississippi Regional Center in Long Beach. He had a great passion for this work. Two of his children were born mentally handicapped.

Mike will be interred at the Biloxi National Cemetery. His headstone will read “For God, Family and Country” and that is exactly how he lived!

The service at the cemetery will be for family only. A public memorial service will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Pines in Waveland on Saturday, October 21^st at 11:00 am with a reception following in the fellowship hall.

All family and friends are welcome. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation in memory of Myron L. Myers to the attention of Barbara Griffin, Family and Friends Association, South Mississippi Regional Center, 1170 West Railroad St. in Long Beach, MS, 39560.

Riemann Family Funeral Home, Waveland, is serving the family.