Sterling resident passionate about family and history

BY PHIL HARTMAN SVN REPORTER phartman@svnmail.com General Electric employees in Morrison knew to ask Donald Meyer for the right part for the job. A Sterling resident, Meyer worked in the stockroom at the Morrison GE plant for more than 30 years, supplying his fellow employees with the parts they needed for their particular job. He retired in 1994, at the age of 55. "He always worked hard. He always worked the second shift at GE for years," said his wife, Mary Meyer. Donald Meyer was a hard worker who enjoyed watching and reading about history. "When he was a kid, he said he wanted to be a history teacher," his wife said. Donald also rooted for Chicago sports teams, said daughter Kathy Zickert, of Morrison. "I think he used to keep track of the Bears and the Cubs. He liked the Bulls," Zickert said. Donald E. Meyer died Friday at Trinity Medical Center in Rock Island, at the age of 68. "He had problems all his life with his health, and never complained," said daughter Jill Scheunemann, of Sterling. Donald and Mary Meyer took Scheunemann and her two children in when her first husband died two years ago. "We stayed with them for three or four months," Scheunemann said. At home, Donald Meyer liked being with family and working in the yard. "He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He always was a hard worker, and he loved spending time outside in his garden," Zickert said. Meyer also liked reading newspapers. "He loved reading the Gazette and the Rockford Register-Star," Zickert said.