Robert A. Meier Jr., 79
SANDISFIELD, Mass. &mdsh; Robert A. Meier Jr., 79, of Sandisfield, died Wednesday evening, Nov. 26, 2008, at home.
Born in Lynbrook, N.Y., on Sept. 9, 1929, son of Robert A. Meier Sr. and Annette Worel Meier, he was raised on Long Island, N.Y., and graduated from Lynbrook High School in 1948 and from Brooklyn (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute, in 1958. In addition, he completed a specialized training at Cornell University in advanced communications engineering. He resided in Malverne, N.Y., and later near his mother in Westchester, N.Y., before moving to Sandisfield.
Mr. Meier was an expert in fiber optics commmunication and was employed with the former New York Telephone Co., now part of Verizon Communications, until his retirement in 1985.
In 1979, he was selected as an adviser for the U.S. government in Tehran, Iran, assuming responsibility for the training of Iranian military personnel in facility and equipment procedure and protocol. He remained active during his retirement, first accepting a job to re-engineer the fiber optic grid in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, after extensive damage from Hurricane Hugo and to help recreate the fiber-optic infrastructure in New Orleans after devastation from Hurricane Katrina.
While in Malverne, he was a volunter firefighter with Tally-Ho Fire Department. In later years, he enjoyed boating, fishing, and hiking, and was an active member of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
He leaves two sons, William Meier and his wife, Maureen, of Great Barrington and Dr. Robert Meier and his wife, Amy, of Clinton, N.Y.; a daughter, Amy Meier Noonan and her husband, Kevin, of Garden City South, N.Y.; a sister, Carolyn Meier Beck of Narragansett, R.I.; six grandchildren, Elizabeth, Matthew, Kaitlin, Andrew, Ava and Ryan, many cousins and his dog Molly, who was his constant companion and loyal friend. He will be missed by all.
FUNERAL NOTICE — A service celebrating the life of Robert Meier will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008, at noon from Finnerty and Stevens Funeral Home. The family will receive friends st the funeral home on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 11 until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Appalachian Mountain Club or the Berkshire Humane Society through funeral home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com.