Jeannine M. Meyer, age 86 passed peacefully away on Friday, November 6, 2015 at Pine Ridge Assisted Living in Wisconsin Rapids after a six month illness.

Funeral Services are 11:00 AM Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Rev. William Menzel will officiate. Visitation will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Church on Tuesday from 9:30-11:00 AM. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. Ritchay Funeral Home in Wisconsin Rapids, WI is assisting the family.

Jeannine and her twin sister, Joyce, were born In Wausau on July 8, 1929 to her beloved parents, Albin and Natalie (Heinzen) Forsmo. She and her family lived in a beautiful home in Wausau that her father lovingly modeled into a dollhouse that his daughters could play with as they grew up.

After graduating from high school, Jeannine attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, becoming a Badger Beauty in 1949, and meeting her future husband, Dan Meyer, formerly of Marion. Following his service in the United States Army, they married on January 19, 1952 and settled in Wisconsin Rapids.

Jeannine was a homemaker until her children were grown, coordinating and organizing the activities of her five children. She enjoyed their accomplishments and was active in her children’s education at Saints Peter & Paul Grade School and Assumption High School. She brought all of her children up to be devout University of Wisconsin Badger Fans and Green Bay Packers fans.

Jeannine was an accomplished gardener and was a long time member of the Wisconsin River Garden Club. The garden at her home in Wisconsin Rapids has continued to bloom and flower all summer during her absence because of the time, detail, attention and planful way that she developed it over the past decades. She was commonly found examining plants, looking up their names and photographing them in all of their beauty. She was also a bird watcher who could appreciate the habits and bird calls of the birds from the loon to the chickadee.

Jeannine and Dan enjoyed their retirement and travels to Italy, Ireland, and their yearly journey to Hawaii to enjoy the warm weather. In 2002 Dan and Jeannine celebrated their 50th anniversary with a surprise party thrown by their children and grandchildren.

Jeannine enjoyed time at their cottage, with Dan, and their extended family. Every year, her birthday was celebrated on the deck of their cottage, with festivities and songs of Happy Birthday. They enjoyed exploring the lake, the sunsets and the beauty of R Land. She could commonly be found walking around the property, protecting lady slippers, ironing the moss and enjoying the wild flowers and the wildlife that surrounded them.

Jeannine is survived by five children; Danielle and her husband Ron of Medford, WI , son Robert and his wife Kathy of Rhinelander, WI, son Richard and his wife, Wena of Fairbanks, Alaska, son Chris and his wife Carrie of Wisconsin Rapids, WI and son Steve and his wife Linette of Minneapolis, MN. She is also survived by grandchildren; Jennifer, Katie, Robert, Gregory, Caitlin, Brandon, Tabitha, Brian, Maureen, Matthew, Weston, Emma, Lidia and Isaac and her great grandchildren, Jordan, Riley, Kyle, Lincoln, Liara, Seamus, Jensen and Madeline.

Jeannine was preceded in death by her parents and twin sister, Joyce Koller.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be designated to Assumption High School.

Jeannine’s family would like to thank Dr. Thomas Voelker and the staffs at Strawberry Lane Medical Center, Pine Ridge Assisted Living and Aspirus Hospice for the kind, compassionate care given to their mother.