Donald Bates Meyers was born on January 30, 1922. His parents, Carl and Vera Meyers lived in Cedar Rapids Iowa at the time of his birth. He grew up in Arlington, Iowa, surrounded by his family which included 5 siblings and his maternal grandparents.
He attended college at the University of Iowa earing a BS in Pharmacy, an MS in Medical Chemistry and a PhD in Pharmacology. He came from a family of four generations of teachers and continued that tradition. He was an instructor at the University of Iowa, a professor at Butler University in Indianapolis, a professor at the University of Texas, teaching in the Pharmacy Departments.
In 1963, he joined Eli Lilly and Company in Greenfield, Indiana. He worked in the Toxicology Division as a Research Scientist for 25 years.
Don married Evelyn Kudrna in 1950. They have four daughters: Donlyn, Ellyn, Diana Beth and Darcy. There are also four grandchildren. In 2005, he married Barbara Barnett. Both wives are deceased.
Don traveled a great deal and was able to visit 49 of the 50 states. (He had always hoped to visit Alaska one day.) He also made trips to Europe, Asia and Australia. Family vacations with his children included camping trips, visiting national parks, historic sites, World’s Fairs and also various cities.
He was involved in many activities and organizations. These include the Methodist Church, AFAM (Masons), University of Iowa Alumni Foundation, Girl Scouts of America, and serving as his daughter’s softball coach. He also enjoyed attending historic reenactments and living history events.
Don was 98 years old and lived a full life. He passed away on August 8, 2020, at Hospice Home in Jackson MI.
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