James Andrews “Jim” Meyer, 75, of Raleigh, N.C., formerly of Hendersonville, N.C. died unexpectedly on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2020. He was retired from CP&L/Duke Energy.
A graduate of Hendersonville High School (1963), Jim served in the U.S. Navy from 1965-69 with Attack Squadron VA-23, known as the “Black Knights” during the Vietnam War. He attended UNC Charlotte (B.A., Business) and UC Santa Barbara (A.S., Mechanical Engineering).
During retirement Jim taught as a motorcycle safety instructor and instructed more than 3,000 students how to ride motorcycles. He avidly pursued other hobbies including private piloting, RC airplanes, jet skiing, shooting sports, and billiards. He taught continuing education business courses at four different North Carolina community colleges. Jim especially enjoyed leading “brunch rides” of friends and former students to favorite dining destinations.
Jim was the grandson of Oscar Meyer Sr. and Frances “Fannie” Davis Andrews Meyer of Charlotte and Hendersonville.
He was the son of Oscar August Meyer Jr. and Amyrillis Laura Knight Meyer of Hendersonville and is survived by his sister Amy Orr Stokes, (Bill Stokes), and nephew Brian Orr of Eatonton, Georgia. He was preceded in death by nephew Steve Orr of Eatonton, Georgia.
Jim’s father, Oscar August Meyer Jr. (1913–1998) founded Hendersonville’s airport and named it Meyer Flying Services—an airfield still in use today for private aircraft. Oscar became locally and regionally renowned for his daredevil stunt flying. He instructed students of aviation at Brevard College and on his airstrip. He supplied charter services, flew ambulance, and power line patrols for Carolina Power and Light Company and the Nantahala Power and Light Company. Oscar also flew fire patrols for the U.S. Forest Service. Oscar enjoyed cruising on his Harley-Davidson cycle. He gave Jim his first ride on a cycle when Jim was five-years old.
Before World War II, the federal government granted approval to Meyer to teach flying as part of the CPT (Civil Pilot Training) program. Meyer trained several of the men who flew America’s fighters and bombers that helped win the war with Japan.
Oscar was the only child of Oscar August “Ock” Meyer Sr. (1879–1950) and Frances “Fannie” Davis Andrews Meyer (1880–1966). Oscar Sr. managed the Hendersonville district of the Southern Public Utilities Company and oversaw construction of the Green River-Tuxedo hydroelectric plant, dam and the 324-acre Lake Summit, Henderson County’s largest lake. When a Duke Power Company subsidiary—Blue Ridge Power—purchased the power site in 1929, Meyer remained as manager. Frances Meyer was a trustee of the board of the Hendersonville Library. The couple and their son first lived near the construction site in Tuxedo and then on Fleming Street, Oakland Street and Druid Hills Avenue. Oscar and his wife would eventually retire to Sanibel Island, Fla., where they owned a second home.
Jim’s great-uncle Thornwell Hamwood “Thorny” Andrews (1876–1931), a skilled auto mechanic and celebrated aviator, was the first commercial pilot of North Carolina and the first to fly over Charlotte. Renowned aviation pioneer Glenn Hammond Curtiss (1878–1930) taught Andrews to fly.
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Friends, students and colleagues assembled to celebrate Jim Meyer’s life on Nov. 21, 2020 at the American Legion Post 116, Fuquay-Varina, N.C. with “Taps,” and a Navy Honor Guard presentation.
Jim’s urn, topped with a cycle finial, will be interred next to his father’s grave at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville, N.C. with a graveside service at 1:00 p.m., Dec. 6, 2020.