Mary Victoria "Vicki" Meyer

On September 23, 2017, Mary Victoria (Vicki) Meyer (nee Doyle) of Columbus, Ohio died in her sleep after a months-long battle with cancer while surrounded by family in her beloved downtown apartment next to her bedroom window overlooking the city of Columbus. She was 75 years old. Vicki is survived by husband Donald Meyer; children Terri (Jay) Kegley, Perry Meyer, Kelly Meyer, and Jennifer (Dan) Miller; grandchildren Jordan (Kristina) Miller, Jessica Miller, Oliver Miller, Tobey Kegley, and Ida Scout Kegley; great-grandchildren Owen Miller and soon-to-be baby Miller; brothers Joe (Susan) Doyle of Garland, TX and George Doyle of St. Augustine, FL. She is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Theresa Doyle and brother Bill Doyle. Vicki was born in Louisville, KY, August 28, 1942 to Charles and Theresa (Wagner) Doyle. She was the big sister to three younger brothers. She graduated from Presentation Academy in 1960 and briefly attended the University of Louisville. She was a woman ahead of her time as she excelled in athletics and mathematics, yet was rejected for employment when she approached the FBI and IBM in the early 1960's because she was female. She channeled her intellect and energy into raising their four children over her 52-year marriage to Donnie which began when he infamously asked "Mickey will you marry me?" to which Vicki responded "Who the hell is Mickey?" Vicki's full-time job was that of dedicated housewife and mother, with an occasional seamstress business from home, but she did eke out a few part-time jobs over the years. While in Louisville, Vicki proudly worked as a waitress in the penthouse restaurant at Churchill Downs and especially enjoyed the yearly-celebrated Kentucky Derby Week. After moving to Westerville, OH in 1979 she worked as a waitress at Monte Carlo Restaurant, served as an ambassador for Continental Airlines, and later worked as an attendant at the former Veterans' Memorial. She loved bebopping around Columbus and taking road trips in her stick-shift Honda Fit with her special tags VICFIT. Vicki was a regular at Columbus area bingos and treasured the friendships she made. Whenever N-42 was called, she would respond with "That was a good year!" Vicki, a devout Catholic, always gave of herself as evidenced through her extreme thrift in providing for her family, and through her volunteerism, most notably at St. Polycarp School and Church in Louisville where she played the organ for Sunday mass; at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus while her children attended; as a fervent supporter of Right to Life; and most recently at St. Lawrence Haven where she served the needy of Columbus for many years on a daily basis. She adored her Haven 'family.' A few years ago she had her 'favorite Christmas present' story published in the Columbus Dispatch: 'Back in the late 1940's, comic-strip cop Dick Tracy and his wife, Tess, had a baby girl named Bonny Braids. I wanted a Bonny Braids doll for Christmas in the worst way. I would cry and beg my mom to pleeease tell Santa. She was all I wanted. On Christmas Day, my mom told me that Santa had run out of Bonny Braids dolls but that he had something else special for me. Through my tears, I opened a long, big box, and there she was - the most beautiful doll I had ever seen. (I hadn't seen many.) Her name was Flirty Flossie, and she was just a tad shorter than I was. Her head moved sideways, rolling her eyes while walking along with me when I took her hand. She was my best friend ever. I quickly forgot about Bonny.' Her children are thankful for her dedication to helping realize the value of the small things in life, and for always reminding that "life is what you make it." Many thanks go to the passionate people of Ohio Health Grant Medical Center and Hospice, and Ohio Living Westminster Village Rehab. Cremation arrangements made through Day Funeral Service. A Memorial Mass will be held this Saturday, September 30, 11:30am, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 204 S. 5th Street, Columbus, OH 43215. A celebration of life gathering will be held in the near future with details forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Vicki's honor to St. Lawrence Haven, 578 E. Main St. Columbus, OH 43215 or Ohio Right to Life, 88 E. Broad St., Suite 620, Columbus, OH 43215.

Mary Victoria "Vicki" Meyer

August 28, 1942 - September 23, 2017