Mr. Ernest F. Meyer, 102, of Hallettsville, died Jan. 24, 2008. He was born on Dec. 15, 1905 to Will F. & Mary Dvorak Meyer in Victoria County, Texas. He married Georgia Stang Meyer on Oct. 12, 1927 at St. Mary's Church near Hallettsville. He was a member of the Texas Cattle Association, life member in the Knights of Columbus, and belonged to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hallettsville.

Ernest, was one of four children of William and Mary Dvorak Meyer, spent his early childhood in Lavaca County in the community of Wied. Ernest had one sister, Emma Meyer Machart Harrison, and two brothers, Emil and Alvin

Ernest received his early schooling at the Wied School and in his early teen years he worked at the Morris Feed and Grocery Store in Wied. His father bought one of the early Model T Fords and Ernest had the pleasure of driving it. While working at the Feed and Grocery Store, he got to drive the owner's truck to deliver eggs to Hallettsville. That probably was not a big deal to deliver eggs to Hallettsville, but the mentions it because on one of his trips, the eggs fell off the back of the truck unto the highway and all was lost. Ernest loved to dance and went to all of the dances in the area: Sweet Home, Worthing, St. Mary's, Praha, and others, as just about every community had a dance hall in those days.

On Oct. 12, 1927, at St. Mary's Church, Ernest married Georgia Stang, daughter of Benjamin and Janie (Jalufka) Stang who lived near the Stacy School in Witting. Ernest and Georgia sharecropped on a farm on the Lavaca River near Witting, and born to them were two children, George of Alvin and Virginia Curley of Hallettsville.

When Virginia was about 4 or 5, the Meyers moved to a farm owned by Clem Appelt. After saving enough money for a down payment, Ernest bought a 250 acre farm near Vsetin, which is still in the family. His daughter, Virginia, describes the farm as an "Old McDonald's Farm", as he had about every type of animal, fowl, or fruit tree that existed. Occasionally, he worked at jobs away from the farm; such as, helping H. L. Stulken survey land and at other times working at the cotton gin for Victor Gerdes. During what he describes as the seven year drought (that had to be in the 1950's when crops failed), he helped assess the needs of farmers who needed help from the Federal Government to keep them afloat.

Ernest loved to play pranks on his neighbors. He once placed a large ripe watermelon in the late Erwin Holy's undeveloped watermelon patch. Ernest loved to play his accordion and his neighbors would come over and listen to him play, especially his polkas. He said money was tight, but his mother managed to save enough money to buy him the accordion while he was living at home with his parents.

Ernest was a good domino player. He enjoyed playing the "bones" with the late Henry Henke Sr. and others. He enjoyed his friendship with David Smolik and remembers the good times he had with David's parents. Ernest said, "He has out-lived his old friends, now all of his friends are young". In his later years, he enjoyed raising his cattle, especially his favorite breed, the Herefords. Not to be forgotten were his son and daughter who both had six children each, his grandchildren who loved to barbecue and for a number of years he helped barbecue for the Sacred Heart Church picnics.

Ernest is survived by: son George E. Meyer & wife Ruth of Alvin; daughter Virginia M. Curley & husband Bill of Hallettsville; 6 grandsons, Marcus Meyer, Ernest W. Meyer, Larry Meyer, Michael Curley, Patrick Curley, and William M. Curley Jr.; 6 granddaughters, Pamela Boyd, Barbara Reagles, Teresa Curley, Linda Allen, Brenda Maples, and Denise Platt; 27 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

Ernest was preceded in death by: wife Georgia on Oct. 24, 2001at the age of 96; parents William F. & Mary Dvorak Meyer; 2 brothers, Alvin and Emil Meyer; and sister Emma Machart Harrison.

Service: 10 am, Monday, Jan. 28, 2008 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hallettsville. Visitation: 3 pm, Sunday, at Kubena Funeral Home. Rosaries: 6 pm, Sunday, at Kubena Funeral Home; and 9:30 am, Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Officiate: Rev. John Peters. Pallbearers: (grandsons) Marcus Meyer, Ernest W. Meyer, Larry Meyer, Michael Curley, Patrick Curley, and William M. Curley Jr. Burial: Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. Memorials: Sacred Heart Church or Charity of your choice.