Donald Robert Meyer

Donald Robert Meyer, 82, passed away on June 29, 2022 at his Lakewood home after one last trip to his beloved cabin in the Wisconsin woods.

The family will receive visitors on Wednesday, July 6 from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Davenport Funeral Home, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake. A Memorial Mass will be held July 7 at 10:00 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 451 W. Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake.

Don was born on August 30, 1939 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Henry and Aurelia Meyer. He was the youngest of seven children and was born on his father’s 50th birthday. He lived and attended school in Manitowoc until he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. It was while he was pursuing his bachelor’s degree that he met the love of his life, Mary Lou Grimmer. Don and Mary Lou were married in 1962, and shortly thereafter, he completed a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Don and Mary Lou lived in Whitefish Bay, Thiensville, and New Richmond, Wisconsin, before relocating to Lakewood, Illinois in 1976. Together, they raised four beautiful children, Doug, Cindy, Vicki, and Debbie. During their 60-year marriage, they enjoyed and spoiled nine grandchildren.

In 1982, Don formed his own engineering consulting firm, Pro Technologies. In 2000, the business was incorporated as Pro Techmation. He worked as the lead engineer for Pro Techmation until his retirement in 2019. For the last 20 years, Don, Mary Lou, and their children and grandchildren enjoyed many vacations, weekends, and hunting trips at the cabin he built in Necedah, Wisconsin. Upon his retirement, he and Mary Lou continued to travel to the cabin once or twice every month until July of this year.

He was a devoted member of St. Thomas the Apostle parish and served in the Knights of Columbus.

Don is survived by his loving wife, Mary Lou Meyer; children, Douglas (Cheryl) Meyer, Cindy (Michael) Mata, and Debbie (Michael) Ryan; and son-in-law, Todd Gray. He is also survived by all of his grandchildren, Drew (Kimberly) Meyer, Todd Meyer, Christina Meyer, Alethea Gray, Gordon Gray, Aurelia Gray, Clare Ryan, Nathan Ryan, and Elise Ryan; and his brother, Henry Meyer.

Don is preceded in death by his daughter, Vicki Gray; his brothers; Lynford (Winifred) Meyer, Kenneth Meyer, Marvin (Nancy) Meyer; his sisters, Dorothea (Ken) Gess, and Elaine (George) Schack; and sister-in-law, Lorraine Meyer.