Ron Meyers, age 78, was called home by the Lord on February 16, 2018, after 18 years of retirement and a full life. Rondell “Ron” Grant Meyers was born in Middlesboro, Kentucky, on July 10, 1939 to Hubert and Edith Meyers. He was the middle of three children with his older brother, Kenneth, and his younger sister, Kathy. Ron and his siblings grew up on the family farm owned originally by Edith’s parents, Albert and Lena Loope. Hubert's parents, Sam and Della, also lived on the farm.
Ron attended the 1st through the 8th grades (skipping the 2nd grade) at Head of Barren and Fords Chapel Schools in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Ron accepted the Lord in 1953, at a revival held at Fords Chapel School. He loved to recall that he was paid a dime to light the fire stove in the school. His favorite teachers were Ms. Rowe in elementary grades and Mr. Baldwin in high school where he played basketball and baseball. As a good student, Ron was recruited as a high school senior by the FBI. He graduated on May 19, 1957, from Claiborne County High School and reported for duty with the FBI eight days later in Washington, D. C.
At the FBI, Ron was assigned to the Training Inspection Division where new agents were trained. Later, he was the clerk who managed incoming mail for Quinn Tamm, the Assistant Director of the FBI. Since Ron’s office was on the same hall as the Director, he met J. Edgar Hoover many times. Ron was offered an assignment to Alaska in 1958, but because Grandpa Meyers was quite ill at the time and he did not want to be too far away from home, Ron declined the promotion.
Ron’s service at the FBI, however, was interrupted by the United State Army when he was drafted in August, 1958. After training and duty stations at Fort Jackson, South, Carolina, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Fort Gordon, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Ron was honorably discharged on September 15, 1960.
At this point in his life, Ron returned to Claiborne County, Tennessee, where he spent a year or so farming with his parents. It was during this time that he met Janna Ruth Carter and they were married on September 27, 1961.
Ron soon decided to leave farming to enter the business world. His career took him into many fields over the years, including his first job with the Great Atlantic Shoe Company in Knoxville. Later, he was employed for a time as a Privilege Tax Agent for the Tennessee Department of Revenue. This was the job he was working when daughter Ronda Lyn was born on April 14, 1963. In November, 1964, Ron took a position with the Butcher Oil Company, Inc. During the next decade working as a banking executive, he fondly recalled traveling widely and meeting governors and even the President of the United States of America. He often said that he had opportunities that he never thought possible when he was a farm boy walking behind his father’s mule. It was during this period when two more daughters arrived—Tonya Renee in 1966 and Jacqueline Lee in 1971. Something new and different always beckoned, however, and after running a 1000-acre Hereford cattle ranch in Monroe, Georgia, for about 5 years, Ron and Janna purchased and operated the Sandlick Grocery store from 1984 to 1990. After the retail business venture, from 1990 to 1999, Ron concentrated on working his farm. He also worked from 1999 to 2010 as a construction loan inspector for First Century Bank. Finally, in 2010, after 53 years of a varied career and good, hard work, Ron retired.
Ron is preceded in death by his parents, Hubert and Edith Meyers, and his brother, Kenneth Meyers and sister-in-law, Myrtle Meyers; nephew, Jason Leon Coffey.
He is survived by his former wife, Janna Ruth Carter Meyers and his sister, Kathy Coffey, her husband Leonard. Three daughters, who dearly loved their father, also survive: Ronda Lyn Meyers Holloway, her husband, Chris, and their four children, Zachary Grant Collins, Emily Elizabeth Collins, William Garrett Holloway, and Matthew Tolliver Holloway; Tonya Renee Meyers Lomas, and her children, Kelby Nicole Lomas and Harold Tanner Lomas; and Jacqueline Lee Meyers Graves, her husband, Chris, and their son, Christian Bryce Graves; step-son, Jason Layne.
He is also survived by his maternal aunt, Jewel Keck and a special cousin, Georgiana Lacy.
Ron had a host of nieces and nephews and other family and friends.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 20, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Coffey Funeral Home in New Tazewell, with the funeral following at 7:00 PM in the Coffey Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be at the Fairview Cemetery on Wednesday at 10:00 AM with Military Honors.
Minister: Rev. Larry Beeler
Pallbearers: Jim Bell, Kenny Meyers, Korey Meyers, Nick Patel, Matt Rodgers, Jason Layne, and Gary Rowe
Honorary Pallbearers: Rob Barger, Jake Beeler, Creed Daniel, Bob Gray, Al Lacy, Jim Loope, Ted Loope, Kendall Meyers, Tony Parton, Dennis Reece, and many other lifelong friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations to New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, care of Don Keck at 1706 Snodgrass Rd, New Tazewell, TN 37825.
Coffey Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
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