John Myer

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- John William Myer, 64, of Springfield, formerly of Jackson, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 20, 2018.

He passed away peacefully in his sleep at home, with his wife Sylvia, granddaughter Destiny, and church family at his side. He fought non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for 13 years and beat it five times. John was a great man, a true fighter, a hero to his family and will always be remembered for his passion for life and love for family. One of his largest sacrifices was donating a kidney to his brother, Mike.

He was born Dec. 27, 1953, in Cape Girardeau to Lee Edward "Ebby" and Betty Jean Birk Myer.

He attended St. Paul Lutheran School, was a 1972 graduate of Jackson High School and attended Southeast Missouri State University. He was a member of the Boy Scouts and had achieved the honor of Eagle Scout.

John was a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving honorably from 1975 to 1981. He then moved to Oregon, attending Lane Community College. He worked for Morgan Nikolai in Springfield and eventually worked 23 years for Weyerhauser Springfield as a logger, dump truck driver and loader operator, retiring in 2012.

He and Sylvia Davies married in 1987 in Springfield. They enjoyed fishing, camping, taking RV trips with their loved ones and watching their blended families grow.

John enjoyed bowhunting, wood-working, tanning hides and fly fishing on the Metolius River. His talent for tying flies was admired by fellow fishermen. He also liked to take his dogs, Gracie and Stevie, to the river to let them run. Each year, he enjoyed trips to Missouri to see his boys and family. He and Sylvia were members of Fort Umpqua Muzzleloaders Club since 1998. Destiny was a great shot.

Loving survivors include his wife of 31 years, Sylvia Myer of Springfield; two sons, Jonathan and Tyson Myer; four stepchildren, Joseph Freeman, Danielle Majors-Weaver, Christina Majors-German and Danniel Majors; 17 grandchildren; a brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Kathy Myer of Encinitas, California; and a niece, Rachel Myer.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Justin Myer; a stepson, Lee Christopher; a stepgrandson, Isaias Zavalla; and an infant brother, Mark Edward Myer.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. July 14 at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, with the Rev. Eric Longman officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. John will be laid to rest next to his parents and his infant brother.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Grace Baptist Church, 344 8th St., Springfield, OR 97477, or Williamette Valley Cancer Center, 520 Country Club Road, Eugene, OR 97401.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.