Earl Lynn Meisner passed away in Greeley, Colorado, on May 29th, 2022, after battling cancer since March of 2020. He was 69.
Born May 12th, 1953, to parents Earl V. Meisner and Virginia M. Olson, Earl grew up in the town of his birth, Hettinger, North Dakota. Because he shared a first name with his father, Earl was known by his middle name, Lynn, to his Hettinger family and friends. He graduated from Hettinger High School before studying at Dickinson State College. Earl worked as a Meat Cutter for various King Soopers locations and was an Assigned Representative of Northern Colorado for UFCW Local 7. He later worked for Vesta (a Danish wind-turbine manufacturer), then for Napa Auto Parts as a driver. He served as a Volunteer Fire Fighter for six years with the County Fire Department (Timberline) and 10 years with the Nederland Fire Department. A true outdoorsman, Earl loved camping, fishing and hunting (elk, deer, buffalo), as well as riding his Harley, custom trike, or four-wheeler.
On June 9th, 1999, Earl married Neva Lynne Taylor in Hettinger, North Dakota.The couple settled in Colorado, first in Pierce, then in Loveland and Milliken. Their union ended after a decade, but love remained. When Earl became ill in March of 2020, he reached out to Neva; thereafter, she became his primary caretaker throughout his battle with cancer. The two reconnected so smoothly that they remarried February 9th, 2022, and honeymooned on Colorado’s Western Slope. Despite his illness, Earl was delighted to attend the Hettinger High Class of 1971’s 50th Reunion.
Earl was preceded in death by his parents, Earl V. and Virginia Meisner; his sister, Myrna Gravning; and his nephews, Brian and Greg Gravning. Survivors include his wife, Neva Lynne Taylor (Loveland, Colorado); Carlene Ellis, mother of his son, John Meisner (Longmont, Colorado) and girlfriend, Holly; and mother of his daughter, Christine Ginocchio, and her husband, Michael (Mead, Colorado); his sister, Charlotte Tatro, and her husband, Harry Tatro (Forsyth, Montana), and their son, Mike Tatro (Nunn), and daughter, Teryl Tatro and Wade Cole (Rosebud, Montana); his brother-in-law, Terry Gravning and his son, Gabe, and his daughter, Mandy, and grandchildren (Bismarck, North Dakota), Libby, wife of deceased Brian, and her children. Earl also leaves behind six grandchildren and three “adopted” grandchildren.
In hospice, Earl was provided supportive spiritual care and guidance from Chaplain Allen Williams. Earl had always been drawn to the Naturalist aspects of Native American theology, but he remained hesitant about Christianity. His longtime friend, Terry Carroll, a Native American attuned to the beliefs of his culture and also a devout Christian, served as a great mentor during Earl’s final stretch. Along with these two men, Neva organized a round table of sorts to sprinkle the seeds of Christ’s love and explore the common ground between Native American spirituality and Christian piety. It went well, and on May 19 at 1:45 p.m., Earl accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior, much to the delight of Neva, Allen and Terry.
Two memorial services will celebrate Earl’s life: Thursday July 14, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at D-Barn Reception Hall (136 S. Main Street, Longmont, CO 80501); and Friday July 15th, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Viegut Funeral Home (1616 N. Lincoln Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538), officiated by Chaplain Allen Williams and Terry Carroll. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Earl’s name to the Cancer Research Institute (www.cancerresearch.org), 29 Broadway, Floor 4, New York, NY 10006-3111.
As his family states, “Earl (Lynn) was deeply loved by his family and friends. He will be forever missed and will always remain in our hearts. Memories of Earl will be treasured. He was a kind soul. Everybody was his friend, and he was everybody’s friend.”
