Joel 'Joe' Meyer

Joel “Joe” Dixson Meyer, 73, passed away on October 1, 2026, exactly 73 years after he was born on October 1, 1953, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. One date, 73 years apart, holding the beginning and end of his life like bookends.

Joe grew up in Springfield, Minnesota, the kind of quiet, idyllic small town movie directors would kill to capture. But beneath that picture-perfect calm was a seemingly endless pack of boys, each known as much by his nickname as his given name, filling the town with a cacophony of adventure, mischief, and just enough trouble. Those “Paffrath” boys grew up, but they never really grew apart; they remained friends until the very end.

Joe proudly served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam Conflict, though for him there was very little conflict involved. While war raged an ocean away, he was stationed in Honolulu in the early 1970s, where his days unfolded beneath swaying palms and warm skies as he learned to surf and wandered the lush mountainsides in search of magic mushrooms. It was the ‘70s, after all. After an honorable discharge, he returned to Minnesota to attend Mankato State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in art and photography. Photography, much like life, teaches us that where we place our focus can change the entire picture. For Joe, the picture always seemed to come into focus at a lake he had first seen as a boy.

Long before Nisswa became his home, Lake Hubert had already captured his heart. After the tragic loss of his mother when he was a young boy, her best friend and her family welcomed him into their lives and brought him to their cabin on Lake Hubert. He had never seen water so clear, and the lake, along with that special family, became an anchor in his life. The day he graduated from college, he drove north to put down roots in Nisswa, with one root always firmly planted at Lake Hubert. He began a career in construction and eventually established his own company, building homes and businesses throughout the community. It was also in Nisswa that Joe met his partner, Heather, and together they welcomed their daughter, Ali. With them, the life he had pictured came fully into view.

In his spare time, Joe was an avid golfer, fisherman, and waterfowl hunter. Over the years, he drove two fishing boats: first a Tuffy, then a Warrior. Looking back, the names feel almost prophetic. Joe was both: tough enough to survive a surgical sponge mistakenly left inside him, an ordeal that nearly took his life, and a warrior through nearly six years with stage four cancer.

In the spring, Joe’s ashes will be scattered in the clear blue waters of Lake Hubert, the place that captured him as a boy, called him home as a young man, and will welcome him back once more, a final and beautiful bookend to his life.

Joe is survived by his wife, Heather Meyer (Ross); his daughter, Ali O'Day (Mike); and his cherished granddaughter, Charli. He is also survived by his brothers, Dan Meyer, Mark Meyer, and David Meyer; his sister, Marti Black (Meyer); and their partners and children. He was preceded in death by his parents, Duane and Dee Meyer, and his brother, Tom Meyer.

In keeping with Joe’s wishes, no formal service will be held.