Obituary of Marilys G. Meier

Marilys G. Meier, age 93, of Wisconsin Rapids passed away Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at Edgewater Haven Nursing Home in Port Edwards. Services will be at 2:30 P.M. on Saturday, July 11, 2020 at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids. Rev. Missy Miller will officiate. Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. A time of visitation for relatives and friends will be held from 1:30 P.M. until the time of services on Saturday at the funeral home. Marilys was born January 16, 1927 in Hinckley, MN to Hjalmer and Elsie (Freberg) Hokanson. She married Rexall Meier on October 25, 1946 in Kroschel, MN. He preceded her in death on March 21, 2005. Marilys attended Pine County Rural Schools, District 38. She graduated from grade school in 1940; She attended Hinckley High School, graduating in 1944. She then worked for a Sears Store in St. Paul, MN until she started nursing school at Glenwood Hills Hospitals School of Psychiatric Nursing. She graduated in January of 1946, Marilys then obtained a nursing position at St. Croixdale Hospital in Prescott, Wisconsin.It was while working there she met Rexall Meier. Marilys loved doing crafts. She was an avid knitter making her grandkids many mittens and booties over the years. She was an excellent seamstress and did quilting as well. She loved gardening and collecting snowmen. She was always looking for new craft ideas over the years. In later years she read many books. Her favorite was Gone with the Wind. She read it 3 times and she wore out the binding on the book. She also loved riding bike in the evenings with her husband, Rexall. She and Rexall did a lot of traveling, going to Europe multiple times and on many Amtrak vacation trips within the US. She was very proud of her Swedish heritage. She was lucky enough to be able to visit Sweden. She and Rexall loved to polka and went to Germany a couple of times for Oktoberfest. She was a faithful member of First Congregational Church-UCC in Wisconsin Rapids, an active member of their Ladies Aide, coordinated many funeral luncheons, and served as a bible school teacher and church treasurer. Marilys is survived by her children: Terrylea (Gary) Ness, Jeffrey (Gail) Meier, and James (Mary) Meier; seven grandchildren: Paula (Todd) Kettner, Steven (Holly) Ness, Brian (Laura) Meier, Brendan (Sarah) Meier, Nathan Bylander, Cole Bylander, and James Meier; eight great-grandchildren: Matthew Ness, Zachary Kettner, Brianna Kettner, Edward Ness, Samuel Ness, Evan Meier, Hazel Meier, and Henrik Meier; sister, Alice Currie; two brothers: Donald (Mary) Hokanson and Clyde Hokanson; sister-in-law, Betty Hokanson; and son-in-law, Daniel Bylander. In addition to her husband Rexall, she is preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Lynne Bylander; brothers: Hjalmer Hokanson and Allen Hokanson; and sisters: Harriet Anderson and Barbara Teich Lawson; and great-granddaughter, Maria Ness. The family would like to thank the staff at Edgewater Haven Nursing Home in Port Edwards for the exceptional way they cared for Marilys.