Grace Myers

Grace Myers, 100, of Iola died Saturday, May 19, 2012.

She was born Oct. 6, 1911, to Joseph Benjamin Fulks and Nora Nolen Fulks in Wetumka, Okla. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1933 with a degree in music science. She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, an honorary society that recognizes academic excellence.

Grace taught public school music before marrying Eugene Myers Dec. 22, 1938. They lived in Minneapolis, Kan., where Eugene was principal of the grade school and Grace taught private piano lessons. 

In 1942, Eugene was admitted to the University of Kansas School of Medicine. With the help of her sister and a homeowner’s loan, Grace bought an apartment house, which provided housing for her and her daughter as well as young women working in the Kansas City area. Besides managing the apartment house, she also worked nights at the gas company to support herself and her daughter, while helping to finance Eugene’s medical education. In addition to those jobs, she also was organist and choir director at Westport Methodist Church in Kansas City, Mo.

Grace and Eugene came to Iola in 1948.

During her life in Iola, Grace was a member and held offices in the Iola Music Club, Unity Club and D.A.R. She taught piano lessons, played in the Iola Area Symphony, was on the board of the Bowlus Fine Arts Center and was active in the First Presbyterian Church, where she served as an elder, substitute organist and accompanist for the girls choir. 

In October 2000, she was given special recognition by the Presbyterian women’s organization for her contributions to the church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Myers, M.D., in 1990. As she requested, her body was donated to the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

She is survived by her children, Jeanne Myers, Lacy, Wash., Joseph Myers and Catherine Bowser, Overland Park, and granddaughter Catherine Humphrey, Glendale, Ariz. 

The family wishes to give special thanks to Joan Buck, who has been an outstanding companion during the past year, and to those good friends who enriched her life up to the end.

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the First Presbyterian Church or the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.