Ross David Meyer, 31, Somerville, Mass., formerly of Duluth, died peacefully in his sleep due to natural causes on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007 in Somerville. He was born March 11, 1976 in Duluth to Marge Stanley Meyer and John D. Meyer. Ross grew up in Duluth where he attended University Methodist Nursery School, Grant Elementary, Chester Park Elementary, Woodland Junior High and East High School with honors including the Richard G. Drew 3M Creativity Award, the renewable Whiteside Scholarship and the coveted St. Olaf Presidential Scholarship. In 1998 Ross graduated magna cum laude from the College of St. Olaf in Northfield, Minn., with a BA in philosophy and chemistry. Ross was an altar boy at St. Benedict's Catholic Church in Kenwood where he was baptized and confirmed. As an adult Ross's life experiences and travel let to an exploration of other cultures and religions. He was invited to join Minnesota DeMolay at the age of 12 staying active and working his way up to State Master Counselor which sparked many interests including travel throughout the United States, Thailand, Ireland, and Iceland. Ross greatly enjoyed biking, camping and hiking the Appalachian Trail. His early love of music included playing the trumpet, tuba, baritone, and French horn in the East High School band, and more recently he expressed an interest in the banjo. Ross worked for True Value Hardware in Two Harbors during his high school years, for the St. Olaf radio station and Hogan brothers restaurant during his college years. After graduation Ross moved to the Boston area where he was a volunteer PBS fundraiser and pursued his career as a physical chemist in laboratories, including Abbott Labs, where he was an applicant and inventor for medical biosensor applications. For the past four years, Ross was employed as a bartender at Skellig's in Boston where 'Rosco' enjoyed life to the fullest and was known to his many friends and customers as a creative, kind, gentle and humble soul. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Frank G. Stanley; his paternal grandparents, Agnes and Raymond Meyer; and great-grandparents, Louis and Signe Meyer. He is survived by his mother, Margery Stanley-Meyer; father, John Meyer (Ellen Ramsay and her family); sister, Susan Ray Meyer; brother, Scott Meyer (Holly); grandmother, Olga Stanley; niece, Hilary Nicole Meyer; aunts and uncles, Kathy and Robert Dybdal, Don and Kathy Stanley, Chuck and Barb Stanley, Ginny Stanley and Jody Villa; and five cousins. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed. VISITATION:4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 until the 6 p.m. service in Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E. 2nd St, Duluth, MN 55805, 218-727-3555. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the St. Olaf Scholarship Fund, St. Olaf College, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057.
This obituary was originally published in the Duluth News Tribune.
