J. Bruce Meriwether (1938-2022)

MERIWETHER

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 6/27/2022 at 15:25:23

J. Bruce Meriwether, 84, completed his life on earth and joined his Heavenly Father at 11:58 a.m. on June 25, 2022. He was surrounded by his family who were the center and foundation of his life.

Visitation Services will be Friday, July 1, 2022, at Westminster Presbyterian Church from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. There will be a short visitation Saturday, July 2, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., with Services at 11:00 a.m. The Service will be livestreamed on the Westminster Presbyterian Church website, https://wpcdbq.org/. Burial service will follow at The Linwood Cemetery Chapel, 2736 Windsor Avenue, Dubuque. Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home will be assisting the family.

Bruce was born in Taylorville, Illinois on January 25, 1938. His parents, Glenna and Lyman raised him with a strong Christian faith that grounded him and shaped him to become the most caring, loving, and giving man everyone was blessed to know.

His Presbyterian upbringing and his athletic skills brought him to the University of Dubuque where he dazzled everyone with his basketball, football, and track abilities. Basketball was his favorite and the sport he credits for his leadership development, importance of teamwork, and his love of people. He met Shirley at the University and married her on December 20th, 1960, in between scheduled basketball tournaments. It was the first sign that he had found the most understanding and caring woman on the planet! He graduated with a BA in Business in 1960 and Dubuque quickly became their home.

Their children, Michael, Kimberly, and John came next and then his Grandsons. Building his sense of family and giving them all he could became Bruce’s life mission. Part of that mission was being front and center in the community. He told his family “the community in which you live, is yours to nurture. What you give to it, it will give back. It’s where your family and friends are, it’s where you work and play. Always be about people and the community you build. Relationships are everything”. He loved the song lyrics “people who need people, are the luckiest people in the world”; and that was Bruce, always about people and making whatever community he was in, better for everyone. He lived in Dubuque, Boulder Junction, Wisconsin and Naples, Florida and all were important communities to him. He loved and cherished every friend and every person he met along his journey, and there were many!

Bruce wasn’t only about words, he was about action. He was about right and wrong and improving the life we all live. He developed himself into one of the best leaders, mentors, advisor and doers this world has ever seen. He turned bad situations into opportunities, opportunities into success and success into transformation. From the local banking community, to Iowa and American Banking Associations, and local and state economic development, Bruce was a mover and a shaker. He led so many initiatives that impacted many people in positive ways, it is almost impossible to list them all. Highlights are: First National Bank 1960-1995 (President, 1981, CEO 1989), Iowa Bankers Association President 1985-1986 (managed through the Farm Crisis), Active in Dubuque Jaycees, Dubuque Chamber of Commerce President (1976), Dubuque Theater, United Way, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation Co-Founder and Chairman, Economic Steering Committee, Diversity Council (1992), University of Dubuque Board of Directors (1988 – 1998), University of Dubuque Acting President (1996 – 1998). Active in the Republican Party, Bridge to Prosperity Project, The Dubuque/Wisconsin Bridge Dedicated in 1982 and The Telegraph Herald First Citizen Award (1993).

After his banking career, he continued his love and support of the University of Dubuque, as Acting President. He initiated the first transformation plan that brought the University to where it is today. He was so proud of the work he and the team did to make it all happen. The UD is where it all started for him and to give back at the end of his career, only made sense. He had come full circle. He successfully retired in 1998. He and Shirley relocated to Lone Pine Lake, in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, the place he loved. His love of fishing, the north woods life and all it offered were exactly where he wanted to be.

Though his accomplishments are many, his biggest legacy is by far, his family; the people he loved the most and with whom he wanted to spend all of his time. Fishing, hunting, golfing and watching basketball with his sons and grandsons were his favorite things. He loved his screened in porch and “visiting hour” was always at 5:00 where the accomplishments of the day were discussed. He was the best Husband, Brother, Father, Father In-Law, Grandpa, Uncle and friend anyone could hope for and he will be greatly missed. He would not want us to be sad but would want us to remember what he always said, “Go live life! Make it the best it can be, and be the best you can be. It only comes around once.”

Those he blessed with his life and so many memories are Shirley, his wife of 62 years, his children, Michael (Karin) Meriwether, Kimberly (Jerry) David, John (Sarah Smith) Meriwether, his Grandchildren Gus (Katie) Meriwether, Gabe (Alex Thomas) Meriwether, Luke (Taresa) David, his brother Bill (Kathy) Meriwether, 6 (soon to be 7) great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Glenna and Lyman Meriwether.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The J. Bruce Meriwether Memorial Fund at the University of Dubuque (2000 University Ave, Dubuque, Iowa 52001), Camp Manitowish (P.O. Box 246, Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, 54512) and The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (700 Locust Street #195, Dubuque, Iowa 52001).