JOANN MARIE HELWIG MEYER

1930-2017

Joann Meyer claimed the promises of her baptism on Friday, the 3rd of March, 2017, following a brief illness, after disembarking from a cruise with her family in Fort Lauderdale. Joann was born on the 4th of May 1930, in Wallis, Texas, to Beulah Kuhn Helwig and Waldo Edward Helwig. Joann grew up in Wallis and Freeport, Texas and graduated from Freeport High School. She attended Texas Lutheran University for two years where she fell in love with her future husband, Clarence Charles Meyer. After transferring to the University of Texas, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. On September 4, 1950, Joann and Clarence married in Freeport. They moved to Houston in 1951 and joined Faith Lutheran Church, where Joann remained a member until her death. While her three children, Jo, Buddy and Ernie, were young, Joann furthered her education, taking numerous music, voice, science and education courses at the University of Houston. Her beautiful soprano voice was a welcome addition to the concert choir at UH and the chancel choir at Faith Lutheran Church, where she was a frequent soloist. In addition to her choir membership, Joann was a dedicated member of Faith’s Altar Guild for over fifty years and served as its President more than once. When her eldest child entered high school, Joann decided to become a teacher. She accepted a position at Bellaire High School in the Fall of 1966, where she taught Biology until 1979. That Fall, she accepted a teaching position at Dulles High School in Sugar Land, again teaching Biology. She was recognized as the Teacher of the Year for the Fort Bend Independent School District in 1982. While she was known as a tough and strict teacher, she was adored by her students, many of whom received Advanced Placement credit and some of whom were recognized as National Merit Scholars, Finalists and Semi-Finalists. For a number of years, she traveled to Princeton, New Jersey, on an annual basis to assist in preparation of SAT test questions. Joann’s retirement was similarly busy. She was an avid bridge player, gardener, investor in and student of the stock market, grandmother and traveler, as well as continuing her church activities. Joann and Clarence were also avid travelers throughout their marriage. During their fifty-year marriage, they were among the first American tourists to visit East Berlin, Russia and China. After Clarence’s death, she continued to travel with her children. Joann was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Clarence Meyer, with whom she enjoyed fifty years of marriage, and her son, William Ernest Meyer. She is survived by her daughter, Joanne Helen Meyer Vorpahl, and her husband Dwight Vorpahl; her son, Clarence C. Meyer, Jr. (“Buddy”) and his wife Joanne Reinhart Meyer; daughter-in-law, Vicki Meyer of Missouri City; her grandchildren, Elizabeth Vorpahl Alves and her husband Marc Alves of New Braunfels; William Andrew Meyer and his wife Ashley Meyer of Missouri City; Stephen Edward Meyer of Sugar Land; Julie Elisabeth Meyer of Houston; Eric Christopher Meyer and his wife, Isabel Meyer of Damon; Shannon Ganter and Alexandra and Leanne Meyer of Missouri City; and two great-grandchildren, whom she especially adored, Maverick Alves and Augie Meyer. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as many of her younger friends, affectionately called her “Maw.” Joann’s funeral service will take place at Faith Lutheran Church, located at 4600 Bellaire Boulevard, Bellaire, Texas 77401, at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 11. A visitation will be held on Friday evening, March 10, at The Settegast-Kopf Co. @ Sugar Creek, 15015 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Texas 77478, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Faith Lutheran Church; New Hope Lutheran Church; The Krause Center in Katy, Texas; Texas Lutheran University; or the charity of your choice.