Dutch Meyers dies

Louis “Dutch” Meyers passed away at home on Sept. 4, 2009. A memorial service was held Sept. 12 at Asbury United Methodist Church, Prairie Village.

Dutch was born in Lincoln, Neb., in 1927 to Arthur and Nelle Meyers of Fremont, Neb. He served with occupation forces in Japan, then attended the University of Nebraska, where he joined Phi Gamma Delta and received a bachelor’s degree in communications. He was called back to service in Korea, serving as a first lieutenant in the infantry and earning a Bronze Star.

He married Janis Crilly of Superior, Neb., in 1953. The couple lived in Lincoln and Sioux City, Iowa, where Dutch was an announcer for KFOR-TV and KTIV-TV. The couple have lived in Overland Park since 1956.

After working at KMBC-TV, Dutch became an account executive at KCMO, Channel 5 (later KCTV).  He retired as KCTV’s regional sales manager in 1991.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Dutch served as president, director and actor for the Barn Players. He was a past board member of the Johnson County Community College Foundation, a founding board member of TLC, which provides housing and other services for children in need, and past vice president of the K.C. Advertising Round Table.

United Community Services of Johnson County named him Citizen of the Year in 1975. In the 1980s and early 1990s, he was the commercial spokesman for Capitol Federal Savings. A member of the Korean War Veterans Association, Dutch served on the committee that raised funds for the Korean War Memorial in Overland Park.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jan Meyers, to whom he gave 29 years of loving encouragement throughout her career, which included positions on the City Council, the Kansas State Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Dutch is also survived by his daughter, Valerie J. Meyers of Mission; son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Philip and Martha Meyers, and granddaughter Maria Meyers, of Honolulu, Hawaii; sister, Beverly Honaker of Lake Forest, Calif.; niece, Nancy Dekker of Trabuco Canyon, Calif., and her husband Jon; brother-in-law Dr. Donn Crilly and his wife, Sylvia, of Superior, Neb.; nephew Ryan Crilly of Lincoln, Neb.; and several grandnieces and grandnephews. He was predeceased by his parents, sister Maxine Mullins, and brothers-in-law Bob Mullins and Al Honaker.

Dutch loved being with friends, horseback riding, golf, and movies, but especially being with family.

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