Ottawa man served in Putnam fair post

11/29/2006

OTTAWA, Ohio - Ray L. Meyer, 75, of Ottawa, a former grounds director at the Putnam County Fairgrounds and a former acting fire chief here, died of cancer Monday in St. Rita's Mercy Medical Center, Lima, Ohio.

Mr. Meyer was grounds director at the Putnam County Fairgrounds from 1991 until 2004.

Before working for the county fairgrounds, Mr. Meyer worked in plant maintenance at the former Philips ECG of Ottawa, a television tube plant here, for 40 years, from 1951 until retiring in 1991. He began as a production line worker and later worked for about 24 years as a millwright.

He also volunteered from 1964 to 1989 as an Ottawa firefighter, including three years as a captain in the mid-1960s, three years as assistant fire chief in the late 1960s, and a year as the acting fire chief in 1971.

After 1989, Mr. Meyer remained with the Ottawa fire department as a reserve firefighter.

"He worked as a volunteer to serve and protect the people," his son, Doug Meyer, an assistant fire chief here, said. "He was a dedicated and caring person."

Born in Lima, the elder Mr. Meyer was raised in Ottawa, graduating in 1949 from Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School here.

In his free time, Mr. Meyer enjoyed fishing and camping. He was a fan of the Cleveland Indians, the Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Mr. Meyer was a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Ottawa. Other area memberships included the Ottawa Eagles, the Leipsic Fish and Game Club, the Ottawa Knights of Columbus, and Sons of the American Legion.

Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Norma Jean Meyer; sons, Mick and Doug; brothers, Don and Kenny; sisters: Vivian Halker, Lil Neiswander, Alice Kohli, and Dee Dee Breece, and six grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Ottawa. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today in the Love Funeral Home, Ottawa, where a Scripture service will be at 2:30 p.m. today.

The family suggests tributes to the Putnam County Hospice or Ottawa-Glandorf EMS.