William F. Meyer

A local memorial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the UCC Congregational Church, 1031 South Euclid Avenue in Sarasota. Another memorial will be held next summer in Chicago

Bill was a proud veteran of World War II, where he participated in both the European and Pacific theaters.

After leaving the Army, Bill joined Container Corporation of America in 1947 as a staff designer in Chicago, and subsequently served as Art Director in the Boston, Philadelphia, and New York areas, and later as Eastern Regional Director at the Valley Forge Marketing Center in Pennsylvania.

In April of 1966 he returned to the Midwest as Director of Corporate Design Services. Bill lectured at design schools and colleges and at various packaging and printing associations on effective packaging design. For several years he was guest lecturer on design at the Packaging Association of Canada and he also lectured at the Ringling School of Art & Design.

A native of Chicago, Ill., Mr. Meyer studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the American Academy of Art and the Institute of Design in Chicago.

He was a member of the National Society of Communicating Arts, the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the Society of Typographic Arts. He formerly held membership in the Art Directors Club of Boston, Philadelphia and New York as he was a member of the Congregational United Church of Christ, Palm Aire Country Club, the Gulf Coast Banjo Society and the Package Designers Council.

Bill was preceded in death by his beloved parents Anna and William, and his infant son William.

He is survived by his wife, Joann; his son, Robert Meyer, his daughters, Heidi Gilbert, Karen Zomaya and Jeanne DeVincenzi; 11 grandchildren, Kelly, Randy, Cody, Mimi, Paulina, Zac, Sarah, Nicholas, Julia, Giana and Jenna; and two great grandchildren Taylor and CJ.

Bill was a patriotic, loyal and respected man who lived his entire life with integrity. He will be remembered for his love for his family and for his dedication to his profession and his pursuit of excellence during his tenure at Container Corporation of America. Many will reflect on his love of music (the banjo in particular) and his artistic skills. Others will remember him as a die-hard republican with a twinkle in his eye.

To show your love of Bill, please fly the American flag in his honor on September 18, 2010.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to UCC Congregational Church, 1031 South Euclid Avenue, Sarasota FL 34237. Sign the guestbook at hearaldtribune.com/obituaries

Arrangements under the direction of National Cremation and Burial Society, Sarasota, FL.