Steven Meyer, the Republican Committeman for Oak Park Township, died last Wednesday of what both Oak Park police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office described as self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Meyer, who was 12 days short of his 50th birthday, was discovered by his wife Robin shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday evening in the basement of their South Euclid Avenue home. The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed Thursday that the cause of Meyer’s death was “multiple gunshot wounds to the head,” and ruled the death a suicide.
However, Oak Park police said that they were contacted by a man last week who rather vehemently questioned the integrity of the police investigation.
“I know a rational person can doubt someone shooting more then once while [committing suicide],” said Oak Park Deputy Chief Robert Scianna. “But it’s not uncommon. It’s not unheard of.”
Scianna said he could not go into the details, saying only that the first gunshot had not been fatal, and that the second gun shot was.
Oak Park GOP President Randal Birkey said Monday that he had contacted an Oak Park police officer connected with the investigation, but had made no accusations regarding the conduct of that investigation. Birkey also said he’d contacted the Medical Examiner’s office in order to confirm the details of media reports of the death.
Visitation was held Sunday at Dreschler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home. His funeral was Monday morning at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park.
Meyer, who had overcome Mantle Cell Lyphoma, a deadly form of cancer in 2000 and was in remission, had long tilted at the windmill of Oak Park’s progressive political culture.
In 1998, Meyer challenged and defeated longtime committeeman Paul Sengpiehl in a close election. Matt O’Shea, Republican GOP leader Tom Cross’ deputy chief of staff, attended the first meeting of the Oak Park Township Republican party that Meyer called to order in May of 1998. O’Shea, who grew up in Oak Park, said he’d grown to consider Meyer a friend and a man whose passion he appreciated. He called Meyer’s death not only a disappointment, but a shock.
“I saw Steve a month ago at the State Fair on GOP Day,” said O’Shea. “He looked good. Spirited as usual.”
Others didn’t seem so surprised. Meyer reportedly struggled with clinical depression over the past several years, according to some, including a writer on a conservative Republican website. In a posting on the Illinois Leader website Friday, columnist Charlie Johnston mourned Meyer’s death, writing, “Meyer had grappled with cancer and prevailed, but the clinical depression he suffered over the past few years was apparently too much for him. People close to him had been praying that he would prevail in this struggle as he had in his battle with cancer. Apparently, it was not to be.”
But that struggle had helped forge a bond between Meyer and one high-ranking GOP official. In June of 2000, according to a web posting by Oak Park GOP website administrator Birkey, Meyer spent time with then-Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan in his suite at the Republican State convention. Ryan, a cancer survivor himself, offered Meyer a ride home in his plane following the convention.
Meyer didn’t have as positive a relationship with at least one GOP leader, however. In 2004, according to the Illinois Leader’s Johnston, Meyer, who was also State Central Committee Member from the 7th District, got in the middle of a nasty Illinois GOP intra-party squabble, taking part in an attempt to unseat then-party chairman (and elected State Treasurer) Judy Baar Topinka. Wrote Johnston, “I was horrified a year and a half ago when some people exploited [Meyer] to try to stage a coup against then-party chairman Judy Topinka. It was the wrong battle at the wrong time, and it was clear it was doomed to failure.”
Topinka declined to comment on Meyer’s passing when asked last Thursday night.
Mas Takiguchi, a two-time candidate for the Oak Park village board and a fellow Oak Park Republican, said he had spoken as recently as two weeks ago with Meyer about the possibility of him retiring from his committeeman post, though nothing was decided.
Les Golden, who said he had worked with Meyer on local Republican politics since 1996, believes the decision to run for re-election to the committeeman’s post weighed heavily on Meyer.
“I think it was a decision he really didn’t want to make,” said Golden, who added that several political developments within the past several years had had a particularly depressing effect. Meyer had been unsuccessful in attempts to get the Illinois GOP to move more to the right politically, and was particularly disappointed at the failure of Jim Ryan to win election as governor in 2002.
“When Ryan lost, Steve seemed to lose some energy,” said Golden.
On a strictly personal level, said Golden, Meyer was also depressed over not being able to see his daughter from a previous marriage due to a related court case.
Golden said he was mourning the passing of a good and gifted man.
“He was a great guy, a gifted musician, a gifted athlete, with a great sense of humor,” said Golden. “He’ll be missed.
Birkey declined to discuss anything related to Meyer’s state of mind prior to last Wednesday, calling it a private family matter. Last Friday he posted an announcement on the home page of the OakParkGOP.org, the Oak Park Republican Party website, in which he expressed his sympathy for his loved ones and praising Meyer.
“Steve is remembered by all those who knew him as a passionate, energetic leader, with a big, caring heart, lots of laughter and a loyal, true friend,” Birkey wrote. “His battle with MCL was unforgettable and an inspiration [to] many. We thank God for the gift he was to us.”
In memoriam
By KEN TRAINOR
Steve Meyer had a passion for politics?#34;and for the Cubs, and for the Beatles, and for his wife, Robin. But underlying everything, politics.
“Ronald Reagan was his hero,” said Randal Birkey, his friend and partner in attempting to revitalize the Oak Park Republican Party. “Steve had lots of Reagan memorabilia in his house.”
He grew up on the North Side of Chicago, the son of a German immigrant mother. His father met her while he was in the military, stationed in Berlin in the 1950s. Steve graduated from Steinmetz High School and earned an associate’s degree from Wright College, then went to work for UPS, moving up from driver eventually to supervisor.
His first marriage ended in divorce after three children. In 1995, he and his second wife, Robin, moved to a house on South Euclid Avenue in Oak Park.
Setting his sights on local Republican politics, he led an insurgency, challenging and defeating longtime committeeman Paul Sengpiehl in the 1998 election, saying that the moribund organization needed to be re-energized. Birkey said he was successful in returning the party to the grass roots, making it more accessible for average people. He led by example, organizing picnics and outings to Cubs and Sox games, and, as most Oak Parkers no doubt noticed during every election season, he was avid about distributing and displaying lawn and window signs around town.
He and Birkey also created a web presence with Internet forums to encourage commentary.
In 1999, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Mantle Cell Lymphoma. He endured a grueling bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy regimen. He also received a stem cell infusion. By 2000 he was free of cancer, but dreaded the anxiety of the 6-month check-ups.
“He learned to live with impending death,” according to Birkey who said he was still free of cancer at the end, “as far as we know.”
At his church, Calvary Memorial, Steve and Robin served as hospitality ministers, greeting worshippers and organizing church dinners.
Other interests included playing guitar.
Calvary’s pastor, Rev. Ray Pritchard, said, “Some people go silently through life. Steve was the exact opposite. He had a large personality that filled the room.”
But he was also a man with “bedrock convictions,” Pritchard said, which he would tell you “over and over and then one more time to make sure.”
“He had a talkative personality, a black-and-white mentality, and incredible generosity of spirit. Steve will be sorely missed.”
In addition to his parents and wife, Steve Meyer is survived by his children, Briana, Rebecca, and Thomas; his sister, Carol; and his brother-in-law, Mike.