Mary Ellen Meyer

She was born in Pequannock, New Jersey, the youngest daughter of seven children. She lived the majority of her life there and always said she had a very happy childhood. With two sisters living 3,000 miles away in California, Mary was included in many of her brothers’ activities and was a proud tomboy. Watching her nieces and nephews grow was a very special part of her life.

Mary decided on a career in nursing and became a Licensed Practical Nurse in November 1983, and spent over 20 years caring for the elderly and rehab patients in Lincoln Park and Wayne, New Jersey. She frequently chose to use lunch breaks and after hours to visit some of the patients who did not have visitors. As she put it, “They just need someone to talk to who will listen. They were someone’s mother or father and should be treated with compassion and dignity.” You could say she was an unlicensed ombudsman and reported neglect and abuse whenever she encountered it.

In our mother’s final years, Mary made the decision to leave her job to care for her. She considered it both an honor and a privilege to do so.

In December 2016, Mary moved to San Diego to live with her sisters, who enjoyed getting to know their little sister as an adult as she shared her experiences living in New Jersey with the “second family.” Suffice it to say, our parents had relaxed the rules when the first family left, and she got away with murder!

She had a passion for the four “F’s: Family, Food, Four-legged furry beings, and Football. As one friend said in learning of Mary’s passing, “The NFL world lost one of its biggest fans.”

With the exception of country western, Mary loved music which she shared with our father, who introduced and broadened her appreciation of all genres of music. They particularly loved Xmas music, and one year Dad announced that Xmas music began on Mary’s birthday each year.

Mary loved to travel, including memorable trips along the East and West Coasts of the U.S., Italy and Alaska. She was an avid reader especially family saga series, John Grisham, and western novels. She also enjoyed American history and biographies. Invariably, a current book was carried around the house from bed to couch and back, a constant companion.

Mary had a strong faith and a close personal relationship with God.

She is survived by sisters Michael Ann Meyer (Cait Casey), and Barbara Jacobs in San Diego, CA; brother Joseph Meyer (Mary) in Lebanon, NJ; sisters-in-law Sharon Meyer in Sussex, NJ and Tala Meyer in Corpus Christi, TX, and many cherished nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, John and Bernadine Meyer, brothers Jeff Meyer (Karen), Thomas Meyer and John Meyer and brother-in-law Charley Jacobs.

Mary embraced her Irish heritage and was, and always will be, a Jersey Girl. Her keen sense of humor, beautiful smile and loving spirit brightened the lives of all who knew her.

It was Mary’s wish to have a private interment of her ashes be placed in a niche at the Gates of Heaven in East Hanover, New Jersey where her beloved parents were laid to rest.

We invite you to share your own memories in the online guestbook to help us celebrate her life.