John "Denny" Dennis Meyer

John Dennis Meyer, affectionately known as Denny, age 76, of The Villages, Florida, passed away peacefully on October 5, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, on April 8, 1950.

Denny lived a full life defined by his love of football and devotion to family. A gifted athlete at Jefferson City High School, Denny was a first-team All-American defensive back at Arkansas State University and earned a master's degree in education. He then played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL), the Portland Storm (WFL), and the Calgary Stampeders (CFL). Denny’s career grew from player to coach with the Stampeders and the Toronto Argonauts, where he won two Grey Cups as assistant coach in 1983 and 1991, and later served the team as head coach.

Upon returning to the US, he spent the rest of his career as a teacher and high school football coach in Georgia.

Denny and his beloved wife, Marian, retired to The Villages in 2015, a golfing paradise. Golfing with friends brought him great joy and more than one hole-in-one; yet it was never as dear to him as football.

Denny treasured close friends and Saturdays watching college football, especially the Georgia Bulldogs! He was a man of strength, loyalty, and warmth. The countless lives Denny influenced carry forward memories of a man who lived fully, loved deeply, and left the world a little brighter by being in it.

Denny is survived by his devoted wife of 29 years, Marian Bell Meyer; his son, Jason (Carolyn); his daughter, Amy Sheffield (Kenneth); his son, Taylor; his sister, Joyce Jurd (Robert); and four precious grandchildren, Andrew, William, Isabel, and Everett. He is preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Dorothy Meyer, and by Ernestine Louise Meyer, the mother of Jason and Amy.

A celebration of Denny’s life will be held on October 24 at 2pm, Allamanda Recreation Center, 1515 St. Charles Place, The Villages, Florida.

For those who wish to honor Denny’s memory, simply take a moment and appreciate the people they love.