Tributes flow for Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum founder John Meyers

The funeral of a much-loved Fraser Coast businessman will be held at the Brolga Theatre.

Tributes have poured in for John Meyers, founder of Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum, who died after a decades-long battle with leukaemia on Friday night, September 2, 2022.

As well as being a prominent military historian, Mr Meyers, 80, was also an astute businessman and a devoted husband and father.

With his school friend Garry Dale, Mr Meyers established the Dale and Meyers Sawmill, selling his share and stepping down from the business in 2003.

In 2005, he established the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum.

The museum was established in loving memory of his two children.

In 1982 his beloved children, Geoff, 18, and Karen, 16, were killed in a car crash on the Bruce Highway at Gympie – a tragedy that never left Mr Meyers and his wife, Else.

In 2010, Mr Meyers spoke to the Chronicle as part of its Drive to Stay Alive campaign, sharing his memories of that devastating time.

“All three were thrown out of the car. Karen died instantly. Geoff died in hospital half an hour later. Les survived with a severely fractured skull. Karen and Geoff also had fractured skulls. There was nothing recognisable left of the car,’ Mr Meyers said at the time, trying to control his tears.

“I think of them every day and so does Else.”

A date has now been set for Mr Meyers’ funeral.

His funeral will be held on Friday from 10am at the Brolga Theatre in Maryborough prior to private internment at Gympie Lawn Cemetery.

On Saturday, former forensic crash officer Steve Webb paid tribute to his friend.

“Well John, I hope the reunion in heaven was a joyous one,” he wrote.

“I told you the kids were waiting for you.

“I loved you mate. You and Else always treated me like a son.

“You will be missed by a lot of people and I’m certain that a lot of them will be there to see you off.

“I am so very happy that I got to say goodbye to you this afternoon. You told us you’d had enough and you knew the time had come to say farewell.

“God speed, John Wallace Meyers. You fought the good fight and you made a huge difference in this world.”

Alongside Mr Meyers, former Chronicle editor Nancy Bates was determined to put Maryborough on the map as a destination for those interested in the military.

As she campaigned for funds for a statute for the first man ashore at Gallipoli, Maryborough’s Duncan Chapman, Mrs Bates was able to draw on Mr Meyers’ wealth of knowledge.

“I worked closely with John Meyers during the creation of the Gallipoli to Armistice memorial trail in Queen’s Park and had the enormous privilege of being able to have him review the tens of thousands of words I wrote to tell the story of the original Anzacs,” she said.

“It is a testimony to his matchless knowledge that as far as I know none of the information in the memorial has ever been challenged.

“I knew little about World War 1 when we set out on the Duncan Chapman trail and I will always be indebted to John for his wisdom and advice. He was incredibly generous and patient with his time.

“The esteem in which John was held can be gauged by a comment from Brendan Nelson, then director of the Canberra War Memorial, when I told him John was advising and checking the material in the Gallipoli to Armistice memorial. He responded: ‘You will get no better advice anywhere in the world’.

“The heartache of John and Else over the shattering loss of their children was never far from the surface.

“Some raw emotions surfaced when I did a story almost two years ago about them learning a plaque for Geoffrey had been placed long ago at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville.

“Geoffrey had been serving with 2/4 Bn there at the time he and Karen died together – just learning about the plaque unleashed a new wave of the grief John and Else always carried inside.

“What John Meyers and Else have created for Maryborough is priceless. I know the community spirit will ensure it flourishes: we owe that to John, to Else and to their children.”

Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien sent his condolences to Else and their family.

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of John Meyers after a long battle with illness,” he said.

“John was an inspiration to me and many others and was truly one of our region’s great people.

“John and Elsie’s work in building the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum leaves a legacy that not only tells the story of our nation’s military history but also honours those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.

“When we think of the ultimate sacrifice, it is the giving of one’s life for a cause that holds that solemn and sometimes honourable place.

“But if we can even bring ourselves to consider what is the ultimate pain, there is no doubt that the loss of one’s children before their time must be a grief like no other.

“That John and Else had their two beautiful children, Geoffrey and Karen, taken from them in a traffic crash in 1982, and not only continued on, but lived on to give so much to their community speaks more about these two remarkable people than any words can.

“I’m so glad I had the opportunity to say goodbye to John last week and thank him for his support and friendship and generosity to our community. It was an honour to know you, John.”

In 2018, Mr Meyers spoke to the Chronicle about what the museum meant to people.

“As a result of reading and researching, quite regularly we get people walking through the door wanting to know what their grandfather did in World War I,” he said.

“Most times we can help them, because it’s surprising how some people have no understanding apart from their family serving at a certain time.

“You do the research and it turns out he was in a certain unit, then you realise there’s a book in your library about that certain unit where, if you’re lucky, that person might have a certain mention.”

John Meyers at the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum.

That satisfaction of knowing he can help someone piece together their family history was something Mr Meyers cherished.

“One of the most significant things of this museum is that we don’t promote what happened in the wars, we’re more interested in the individuals who served in the war,” he said.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour also paid tribute to Mr Meyers on Saturday.

“John Meyers was an extraordinary individual who served the community in so many ways,” he said.

“As a businessman, philanthropist, and community volunteer he has helped people for decades.

“The Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum shines because of his leadership.

“The Museum’s wonderful team of volunteers have taken inspiration from him. He will be missed by many.”