Mavis M. Meiers

Mavis Mary Meiers born April 24, 1924. Parents, John and Mary Becker-Meiers, both born in Minnesota, moved to settle on a homestead at Lake Lenore, Saskatchewan, Canada after their marriage in February 1921. John badly broke his arm in 1927 they then decided to move back to Hastings, Minnesota with their two small children. Mary's three bachelor brothers and their widowed mother helped the couple get started on a farm nearby.It was the Depression years and banks rented out or sold many repossessed farms. The family grew to five children, they attended three one-room country school houses. In 1931 Mavis and Paul became citizens of U.S. Mavis graduated from the 8th grade in 1938 at Rosemount District #61. At 17, she traveled by train to San Francisco for employment and adventure. When WWII began, she took a job at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, California where P38 fighter and troop cargo planes were built.Spring 1944, Mavis enlisted in the Women's Air Corp (WAC) and took basic training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. She was transferred to the 4th Air Corp at Santa Maria Air Base, California. She worked in a Quonset hut keeping rosters on the officer trainees, maintenance for the P38 fighter planes and the mechanics servicing them. Summer 1945, she was transferred to March Field, a military commercial airfield. Planes from all over the world flew in and out. During WWII, very few civilians traveled by air. Fall 1946, Mavis was mustered out and went home to Minnesota. May 1947, she married Virgil Nelson and had four children; Barbara Gene (John) Tutterrow, Bonita Mary Nelson, Bette Ann (Fran) Thomas and Michael Jon (Susan) Nelson. She has four granddaughters and nine great-grandchildren.While married, Mavis was employed at Cudahy and Amour Meat Packing plants and the US Postal Office. Only veterans were allowed to carry the US mail. Mavis was one of the first females to do so in the Twin Cities. She worked street delivery, rural, truck pick-up, distribution, special delivery and Express Mail, retired in 1987. 1984-1985, Mavis served as Commander of the Hastings American Legion, Post #47.She has four siblings: Paul 1922-1980. Drove cross-country semi truck, repaired and cleaned antique furniture, self-taught and played the concertina. Eugene 1926-1945. Killed in Darmstadt, Germany WWII. Lois 1929-1981. Graduated Hastings High 1946, married Bernard 'Rusty' Walker a Korean veteran, had four children and lived in CA. Robert 1936-present. Graduated Hastings High 1954, SAC Air Force 4 years, University of Wisconsin River Falls 4 years. Dakota County Assessor at the old and new courthouse. Recently retired from Northwestern Mutual Life Ins. Co. of Milwaukee. Married Ingrid Kraemer, 3 children.The Memorial Mass will be Saturday, June 11, 2011, 10:00 A.M. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2035 W. 15th Street in Hastings. There will be a visitation 1 hour prior to the service at church. Please use the west parking lot. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the church.To view the memorial video or to sign the online guestbook please visit our website at www.wisefamilyfh.com. The Wise Family Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements 651-437-3752.