On April 8, 2022, Michael Joe Myer passed away peacefully in the comfort of the home he lived in for 35 years, with his beloved wife and daughter at his bedside.
Michael was born in Jackson on April 30, 1952, the first of three children born to Lee Edward Myer and Betty Jean (Birk) Myer. Growing up in Jackson, Mike spent time trapping and dirt biking, playing football, baseball, and basketball, and getting into harmless mischief with his brother, cousins, and friends. He worked at his uncle’s furniture store, and was later mentored in the trade of flooring installation.
Mike moved out to San Diego in 1979 by way of one of his quintessential vans. In 1981, he met his wife Kathy (Johnson) Myer on the volleyball courts at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas by asking, “Do you need a fourth?!” Their volleyball game turned into an eventful evening involving broken car doors and tomato fights at Bully’s in Del Mar, an early sign that life with Mike would be unpredictable and full of fun.
They lived an active life together, creating memories and connections on the tennis court, ski trips, anywhere they could road trip, sailing with friends, and volleyball tournaments in Mexico. Mike and Kathy were married in 1984 and three years later gave birth to their only daughter, Rachel Leigh Myer.
Mike was a skilled flooring contractor and started his own business, Contemporary Flooring, that was in operation for 37 years. He was well-respected in the industry due to his strong work ethic, attention to detail, and dedication to doing the job right. Mike would land high-end jobs as well as many referrals from friends and previous clients; his craftsmanship was even featured in trade magazines.
Mike’s talents spanned beyond flooring, he was extremely handy and took great pride in working on home improvements, customizing just about every surface of the home with his own two hands. He was a creative thinker, and could find a solution to any problem, even if by unconventional means.
Mike’s athleticism and competitive nature drew him to sports; both participating and as a spectator. He always cheered for the underdog and rooted for the home team.
Mike was active in the community by volunteering his time as a youth sports coach. He loved coaching his daughter’s recreational softball and soccer teams from elementary school through junior high. He enjoyed coaching so much that he continued as assistant coach for his daughter’s competitive travel softball team, The Next Level. He coached for the organization years after his daughter’s softball career, getting much fulfillment seeing previous players continue on to play college softball.
Coming from a small town, Mike remembered seeing a plane fly above and thought he’d never have a chance to travel by plane. He had an adventurous spirit and proved his previous assumptions wrong as he had many opportunities to travel both domestically and internationally.
No matter where he went, Mike would never turn down an opportunity to experience something new, as he always said, “You never know if we’ll ever be back here again!” Mike tried haggis in Scotland, swam with stingrays in the Cayman Islands, piloted a canal boat across the English countryside, sampled whiskeys in Ireland, and searched for the best snorkeling spots in Maui, to name a few.
Mike had to endure many hardships in his life, but he did not let them define him as he always met each obstacle with positivity and grace. He was a two-time kidney transplant recipient, one from his brother (John William Myer) in 1982, another by donor in 2009, and lived a very healthy and active life. In recent years, Mike had many health issues and complications resulting from decades of immune suppression.
His strength and perseverance was incomparable, as each health set-back was met with optimism, hope, and a sense of humor. Despite being on hospice care, he was a fighter who surpassed all timelines given by doctors, and was looking forward to the future including meeting his first grandson. Unfortunately, he passed one week prior to his grandson’s arrival and just shy of his 70th birthday.
Mike was predeceased by his parents and two brothers, John William and Mark Edward. He is survived by his loving wife, daughter, son-in-law, brand-new grandson (Robert Michael), sister and brothers-in-law, nephews, many cousins, and good friends who will miss him immensely.
Mike was described by many as one of the kindest people they knew and was so loved by all. Despite the sadness of not having him with us physically, Mike will live on in our fond memories forever. Memorial services to be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation locally, in Mike’s name to: Scripps Health Foundation, PO Box 2669, La Jolla, CA 92038.
