Birth date: Nov 4, 1936 Death date: Feb 16, 2014
Helen Donnan Weisner Meurer Nov 4, 1936 – Feb 16, 2014 Helen was born in Gray Court, South Carolina as the eldest child to Ned and Janie Weisner. Her father was a welder and the family traveled as his occupation required, staying Read Obituary
Phil,
We were so terribly sorry to learn of your dear Helen's passing. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Lean on our Lord and he will comfort you in the days ahead.
You both had a wonderful life together and the many memories will be a blessing to you.
Love and prayers,
Joe and Elaine Pope
Finally, as I remember Mom’s life, I remember her as a companion and traveler. Her father, Ned Weisner, also known as Pa, was a welder, whose work was in demand in many places, and he moved his family as his work moved. While Mom was born in Gray Court South Carolina, the family moved to Louisiana where my Uncle Dickie was born while Pa went off to South America as a welder, and then back to South Carolina, where my Aunt Edna Earle was born while he was away in Saudi Arabia. During WW2, the family moved to Hanford Washington where Pa worked on a top secret part of the Manhattan Project. With all this moving and certainly while Pa was gone, Mom, being the oldest, had to help care for her brother and sister.
There’s that caring again.
Mom’s life settled down a bit when they moved back to Lancaster South Carolina, where she finished school before heading off to Baltimore and Johns Hopkins. There she met my Dad, a dashing young Naval Academy Midshipman and they got married. Today is their wedding anniversary.
After graduation, Dad was commissioned in the Air Force, and that meant mom had a life of companionship and travel again. Mom was Dad’s Lifelong companion, . . . traveling sometimes because she had to move every 2-3 years. Traveling sometimes because they wanted to, since after Dad retired from the military, they would travel to remote parts of National Parks, sometimes following the path of Lewis and Clark, and sometimes just living an adventure.
You can see their collection of their travels on the hanging display. Dad came across a Bible verse which epitomized Mom’s life of companionship with her family from the book of Ruth which reads in part: . . . for I want to go wherever you go and to live wherever you live: your people shall be my people, and your God shall be my God. Ruth 1:16
Mom taught me much more than how to be curious and confident, how to be caring, how to be creative, and how to be a loving lifelong companion, but this is all I can put into words now. I love her and I will miss her so much.
Her caring extended beyond her own family. While in the Philippines, the American Red Cross recognized her for her volunteer work in the OR for wounded soldiers being evacuated from war. Her tender heart even extended to animals, and I remember in one particular case a baby bird, which had fallen out of a nest and was grabbed by our dog. Mom rescued the bird from Penny, repaired the baby bird’s scalp wounds and nursed it back to health. When it was time to release the bird, she did, only to have it return for Mom ready to feed it with a spoon while it was sitting in a tree. That bird did not want to leave its adopted Mom.
Mom was also known for her creativity. I have learned that my mom was a talented dancer while in high school , only to have her dancing career cut short by an emergency appendectomy on the night of her recital. Perhaps this is what first interested her in becoming an OR nurse.
My first memory of her creativity was when I was in third grade, and there was a Halloween Costume contest. Perhaps it sprang from her nursing experiences, but Mom took a sheet and tore it into linen bandages, and proceeded to wrap my entire body. No one had ever seen such a real looking mummy, at least in Biloxi Mississippi and I was won first prize because of her creativity.
But Mom’s real creativity seemed to be at the sewing machine. First, she would make Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, not only for Debbie and me, but for many others, and these were very special to those who were fortunate enough to get one.
Dad, having graduated from the Naval Academy and being in the military, the Army Navy Game has always been a ritual, and at the right time of the year, Debbie’s Barbie and Ken Dolls (and perhaps my GI Joes, I am not sure) could be counted on to be sporting the Navy Blue and Gold with new custom costumes to cheer Navy onto victory. Growing up through school, Mom could make me any number of items, including book bags, knap sacs and whatever else I might need to get me to school or out exploring on my bicycle.
Sometime after I moved out, thanks to the confidence she gave me, Mom’s sewing interests and expertise turned to quilting, and here she really shined. Her quilts were precious to those who she made them for, and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews and others, have keepsake remembrances from Mom. Her Grand niece, Rachel Forde put it this way:
“I'm looking at the Raggedy Ann doll she made me right now - she stitched my name, a heart with 'I Love You' inside and dated it 12-83 (this was my first Christmas), on the back there is a tag that says 'Made Especially for You by Helen Meurer'. I also have my quilt she made me for my high school graduation. What wonderful gifts that I will always treasure and pass down to my daughter/son when they are older. “
It's an almost impossible job begin to tell you about what a wonderful woman my Mom, Helen Meurer, was. It’s too easy to say she was the best—Almost everyone says that about their Mom, but My Mom really was the best!! It’s too hard to put into words how much her love means to me, because the words fall short. Some of you here never had a chance to meet her, to come to know what I can’t put into words, so please forgive me for not being able to do her justice. Still I want to share some of what she has given me thru her love and her life
When I think back on who Mom was, the first thing that comes to mind is that she was a graduate of Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing. It has been said that you can always tell a Hopkins Nurse, but that you can’t tell her much! It was this confidence and a curiosity for learning that she gave to me to take on life. Curiosity and confidence to succeed in school, confidence to set out on my own when I finished school, and confidence to start my education again when I entered medical school as a second career. To be sure, she took me aside and explained the rules of respect for nursing, and as an OR nurse she taught me not to touch anything on the scrub tray. That is the domain of the scrub nurse! And to always listen to the nurses, because they see and hear things, and good nurses can make a mediocre doctor look good! Today, because of my Mom, I am able to handle the challenges of life.
When I was asked to think of a word to describe of my Mom, the word that came to mind was caring. She was always there, and gave of herself freely, even if it made her uncomfortable. One thing about Mom, she was very frightened of heights. Sometimes we would tease her about this when we traveled, and we traveled a lot, with Dad being in the Air Force. Not just moving, every 2-3 years whether we needed to or not, but also because it seemed our family was always the one to travel to visit family for vacation. Anyway, when it became time for me to go to college, I chose a school in Melbourne, Florida, while Mom and Dad lived in San Antonio, Texas. It would always seem to fall to Dad to drive me out at the beginning of the year and to Mom to drive me home at the end of the semester. I don’t know how many of you have driven from Texas to Florida, but about halfway thru on 1-10 you cross the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge on a huge bridge, which stands 175 feet above the river. This was probably the worst bridge ever for Mom to drive on, and she probably would have driven several hundred miles to avoid this one if she could. No one was allowed to speak in the car while we were on the bridge until we were back on “solid ground” but Mom did not let her fears keep her from doing what she needed to care for her family.
Another story with regard to Mom caring for her family, no matter what happened was demonstrated the first time we went to the Philippines. Dad had to go first, and Mom had to, by herself, go thru the packing and moving of all our stuff, including Debbie and me. When we arrived in the Philippines, our house was off base, literally in a foreign country. Quite a change from living in the US: in climate, in language, in culture. The next day, Dad was assigned to an emergency temporary duty assignment, leaving Mom with Debbie and I in a foreign land. And to make things worse, the first night alone she had a gecko lizard, like in the Geico commercials, fall on her in the middle of the night. Had she been able, she might have packed Debbie and I up and moved back, but she persevered in staying and taking care of us and for Dad when he returned.
Having never known your mother Dave, I read about her and see her through you. You have inherited so many of her traits. We wish you and your family strength and comfort during this most difficult time. God bless you all.
Bruce and Diane Young
My heart is so sad at the loss of Helen. She was like the sister I never had. She is in a better place with no pain or suffering. She is at peace now. Phil, Dave, and Debbie lean on each other and God for strength and comfort. Time will heal all. I know I've been through it. Only God can get you through your grief and give you comfort. God bless you all. Love, Aunt Marion
February 20, 2014
Helen and I met at a quilt guild and continued our friendship through an additional quilting bee. We stayed friends after the bee broke up. While we have an age difference, we always had something to talk about and laugh about. When she moved to Florida we tried to kept up through the phone. Her failing health made our conversations shorter. I will treasure her friendship and never forget the look in Phil's eyes when he walked through the room we were in. If only everyone could be loved as he love Helen.
f
February 21, 2014
To My Dear Sister, Helen. Thank you for sharing a wonderful life with me.Yes many challenges were offered and came our way but we always overcame them with love. We enjoyed many years of happiness as a family and sisters. Even though you wouldn't allow me to eat crackers in our bed as teenagers, I still loved you so much. I have so many wonderful memories of our life together. I know of no one I would rather have had as a sister than you. I will always be grateful to God for you.
I will miss you here on earth but treasure the thoughts of seeing you again in God's home.
You will always be in my thoughts and heart.
I love you.
Edna Earle
February 21, 2014
Dearest Helen, The years go by so fast and time flows like the wind until time here on earth is gone and God calls us home.
You are a wonderful Sister In Law to me and have meant so much to our family. We have precious memories which will never be forgotten. We praise God for those. Both you and Phil mean so much to all of our family. Thank you for allowing us to share your family. We love you.
Your work here on earth is finished, go rest in peace with God in a place that has been prepared for eternal rest and peace. May God Bless your soul.
With Love through Christ,
Clint
