The Meyer family of Oakdale dates back to 1867, with even a city park – William Meyer Park – on East G Street at the corner of South Second Avenue – in the city where the family home once sat.
Throughout the years, the family generations have been involved in the city, serving in various social and Oakdale school functions, and this year, William Meyer’s son, Bob and his wife Linda, will receive honors as they are presented with the coveted ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at this year’s Oakdale Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Dinner on Friday evening, Jan. 20.
“Bob and Linda Meyer are recognized for their quiet volunteering,” said Oakdale Chamber of Commerce CEO Mary Guardiola. “Youth and education are very important to them and that is what makes Oakdale such a great place.”
Guardiola said there are many in the community that give unselfishly of themselves and the Meyers are being recognized for that this year.
Bob’s service to the community started early. His father was the local fire chief in the 1940s, so when Bob turned 18 in 1960, he started volunteering at the Oakdale Rural Fire Department and later served as a volunteer fireman for the Valley Home Fire Department for 15 years.
He belonged to the JayCees and in 1969 joined Oakdale Rotary, later becoming their youngest president in 1972. During his continued service with the Oakdale Rotary Club he has had perfect attendance.
Bob met Linda Gish when they attended Oakdale High School and began dating right after their graduation in 1960. In 1969 they were married and the couple continued the family legacy of community service to Oakdale.
In 1970 Linda became a charter member of the Oakdale Junior Women’s Club where she served on boards at the local, district and state levels.
Bob worked for the Haidlen Family for over 38 years and Linda was a high school teacher.
Linda and Bob are true fans of the Mustangs.
Some of their past accomplishments include Bob serving as chairman of the Oakdale Rotary Basketball Classic for over 40 years. In 2003, Bob helped establish the Oakdale Quarterback Club and later the school’s Dugout Club.
At OHS Linda served as cheerleading advisor for all three squads and served as ‘S’ Club advisor for the Soroptimist’s high school service club.
Linda is commonly referred to as the school’s “cookie lady,” where for the past 13 years she bakes over 20 dozen cookies and passes them out at halftime during varsity football games at the Corral.
During football season, Bob and Linda arrive at the Corral on game nights around 3 p.m., as Linda has rosters to pass out to the crowd when they arrive. They also go on the road with the football team representing themselves as complete fans.
Bob and Linda are longtime OHS Booster Club members and in 2008 they were awarded the OHS Sports Boosters Sportsman of the Year.
“This wonderful couple is a fixture at just about every Mustang sporting event and they have been for more years than they want to admit,” said OHS teacher and ‘Voice of the Mustangs’ Pete Simoncini. “They are truly fans of the highest magnitude, totally supportive of the sport at hand, win, lose or draw. During football season, they keep my partner Steve Knell and I fortified each week with some of the most delicious cookies you can imagine. They have even provided us with one of our fine Mustang football coaches – their son, Tim.”
Simoncini said it wasn’t just OHS sports that the couple could be counted on for, noting every summer Friday evening they can be found at the concerts at Dorada Park – again promoting a sense of community.
When contacted by The Leader, the couple was very modest about their upcoming recognition.
“I’m a little overwhelmed,” said Linda. “It’s a pleasant surprise.”
“Both of us have been in Oakdale for a long time,” Bob said. “I very much appreciate it and certainly didn’t expect it.”
Bob and Linda have been married for 48 years and have two children, Tim, who teaches at OHS as well as being a football coach, sharing in this year’s Division 3A state championship, and Jessica, who teaches preschool. They have two grandchildren, Ryan and Emily.
Hours for the Chamber’s 71st annual awards dinner are from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan 20., with festivities staged at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave., Oakdale.
Along with the Lifetime Achievement Award, honors at this annual gala are conferred on Oakdale’s Citizen of the Year, along with the Business of the Year, Junior Achievement and Community Service recognition. See this week’s issue for additional information about this year’s nominees. Citizen and four Business of the Year nominees were profiled in the Jan. 11 issue.
