Fred and Joye Meyer

FRED AND JOYE MEYER

Fred Meyer was born September 23, 1928 in Helena, MT to Henry and Agnes Meyer. He attended schools in Winston and Townsend. To read more about Fred click on Fred Meyer obituary.

Joye Lynch Meyer was born November 29, 1928 in Canton, MT, the daughter of Cornelius and Minnie Lynch. She attended school in Townsend and received a degree in accounting from Kinman Business College in Spokane. To learn more about Joye click on Joye Meyer obituary.

Fred and Joye were married November 5, 1949 and had 3 daughters, Martha Jean, Margaret Ann and Mary Beth. Joye's family worshiped in the St Joseph Catholic Church at Canton long before Canyon Ferry Dam was built and the lake began to fill. When the old church was saved and moved up on the hill, it overlooked the Meyer ranch that had been in the family from the time they were both small children. They spent most of their adult life ranching in the Canton Valley.

As the years went by, the church fell more and more into disrepair. Fred and Joye spearheaded the restoration effort to fix up the church and were instrumental in getting it placed on the National Historic Register as the second oldest catholic church in Montana, second only to St Mary's Catholic Church at Stevensville where, incidentally, Fred's father and stepmother lived and are buried. They were joined in this effort by many of the neighbors in the valley, both Catholic and Non-Catholic alike. They were very gratified by the restoration results and were pleased to see the Church being used and enjoyed again. One of their biggest regrets was that Mass was no longer able to be performed at St Joseph's.

Fred and Joye both have ancestors buried in the cemetery behind the Church and helped to maintain it as well.