Michael D. Meyers died on November 21, 2015 in an avalanche while climbing in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains near Lone Pine, CA. He was 25 years old.

 

Michael grew up at his family's home in Haven Township, with his parents David and Catherine, and his brother, William. He attended Talahi Elementary school and graduated in 2008 from St. John's Preparatory School, Collegeville. He was awarded a physics scholarship to attend Drake University, Des Moines, IA where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2012. Michael was offered Fellowship grants to study physics at several prominent Universities. He accepted a Fellowship at UCLA, where in 2014 he earned his Master's Degree in Physics. Michael was working toward his PhD. in theoretical physics, concentrating on the area of plasma physics at UCLA at the time of his death.

 

In high school and after his first year of college, Michael worked at the Clear Lake Farmers Elevator. At the end of his second year of college, he was asked to work as a Levell Scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where he continued to work while in college and up to receiving his Master's Degree. He was working as a member of a research team at UCLA studying plasma physics at the time of his death. He authored and was co-author of articles published in science journals. Michael's hobbies included mountain climbing, mountain biking, running and strenuous workouts, auto mechanics, and recently, pistol target shooting. He enjoyed popular music. Michael made many friends from around the world along the way.

 

Michael is survived by his mother, father, and brother, Grandparents Kathryn and Charles Crews, Staples, aunts and uncles Patricia and Wendell King, South Haven, James and Cheryl Meyers, Eau Claire, WI, Karen Bachman and Dr. Robert Fish, Minneapolis, Martin and Jamie O'Unk, St. Cloud.

 

Michael was a skilled climber and he loved the solitude of the mountains and wilderness. The search and rescue (SAR) teams who found Michael said it was clear to them that he was an experienced climber and that he thoroughly researched this climb leaving a detailed map of his route. He had excellent ciimbing equipment and was well prepared. The SAR teams agreed that avalanches are a risk every climber faces. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are the tallest in the lower 48 states and Michael said that climbing them made him feel alive.

 

The family has decided not to have a service in keeping with what Michael would have wanted. Donations to St. John's Preparatory school are requested, in lieu of flowers and memorials.