Monsignor John F. Meyers, born July 26, 1930, in Altoona, PA, to George and Magdalene Meyers, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2022 in Dallas, TX.
A Catholic priest in the Diocese of Dallas, he served from 1956 until his retirement in 2006. He continued to serve in the Diocese as visiting clergy for Masses, confessions, weddings, baptisms, and funerals. Monsignor Meyers was a much loved priest who lived to serve.
His education included an EdD from the University of North Texas, Denton. He was an accomplished linguist, especially Spanish, but also French, Italian, and German. Every summer for more than 30 years, he went to Spain for a month where he took language classes in the morning, played tennis in the afternoon, and went to the opera at night. He really did enjoy being in Madrid. Monsignor was also an accomplished skier who did not avoid the black diamonds.
Fr. Meyers served in several parishes in what is now the Fort Worth diocese as well as several years in what is today the Tyler Diocese. From 1959-1961, Fr. Meyers served as dean of students at the University of Dallas. While most of his assignments were in Dallas, he also served as superintendent of the schools of the Dallas-Fort Worth Diocese from 1962-67. In 1968, Fr. Meyers was sent to Washington to be a part of the National Catholic Education Association. He served there including the years of 1972-1986 as President of the NCEA. Among the associates he worked closely with at NCEA were Nancy Brewer, Leonard Difiore, Bishop Robert Lynch and many others. Today, there is a scholarship awarded each year in his honor at the National convention of the NCEA. He was also President and Chairman of the Board of the Council for American Private Education. Internationally, Fr. Meyers served on the Board of Directors of the Confederacion Inter-Americana de Educacion Catholica.
Fr. Meyers was a well known authority and frequent speaker on the role of school boards and the governance of schools. He co-authored two books on School Boards and American Catechetics. While in service with the NCEA, Msgr met several Presidents of the US and other countries, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II and Mother Theresa. He was also a chaplain in the US Naval Reserves where he served for 5 years.
After returning to Dallas from Washington DC, he served as pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary parish and St. Monica Catholic parish from which he retired in February, 2006.
Monsignor Meyers is survived by his sister, Patricia Hutchinson, nieces and nephews: Jacquie Knight, Regis Gates, Connie Barbin, Mickey and Marty Meyers, also Robin, Graig, Mark, Ron and Rick Hutchinson, Lynn Cady, Joyce Meyers Lawn, Kay Meyers, Jay Meyers. He was preceded in death by his siblings Regina, George, Jay, Regis, Mickey and Robert and by nephews Raymond Cronin and John Meyers, and by niece Mary Margaret Meyers.
He had many good friends in the Dallas area: among the many are families from St. Monica who brought meals every evening for nearly a year during the Covid shutdown, Al and Mercedes Herman, Fr Anibal Adorno, Fr Arthur Unachukwu, Nando Arduini, Rick and Robin Mathews, Romeo and Sharon Collazo, Jackie and Al Doan, Dr. Katherine Wang, Dr. Bethany Stewart, Dr. Randall Wooley, Dr. Glynnis Garry, staff at Christus St Joseph, Iris Memory Care, Dignity Hospice, and especially Joe Ackels, and Marilyn Hicks.
Visitation will be Friday, July 15 from 4 pm to 7 pm at San Jun Diego Catholic Church. A rosary for Jack will be held Friday, July 15 at 7:00 PM at San Juan Diego Catholic Church, 10919 Royal Haven Ln, Dallas, Texas 75229. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, July 16 at 10:00 AM at St Monica Catholic Church, 9933 Midway Rd, Dallas, Texas 75220 officiating will be Most Reverend Edward J. Burns – Principal Celebrant with brother priests of the Diocese as Con-Celebrants. With a reception to follow in the Family Center. Procession to Calvary Hill will begin at 12:15 p.m. An entombment will occur Saturday, July 16, 2022 at Calvary Hill Cemetery, 3235 Lombardy Ln, Dallas, Texas, 75220.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jack’s memory may be made to John F Meyers Scholarship Fund in the St. Monica Endowment Trust, https://stmonicachurch.org/donate.
