She was born January 29, 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri to Roderick M. and Audrey Martin Meyer, and spent a happy childhood amidst her extended family. After graduating from Kirkwood High School in 1948, she studied German and art history at Washington University.
As newlyweds, she and husband Clifford Kurrus, whom she married in 1952, lived in Marburg, Germany, where he was stationed during his military service. Upon returning to St. Louis, they settled in Webster Groves to raise their family.
Meta had an eye for design and enjoyed scouring St. Louis for antiques to refurbish. She volunteered as a Brownie Girl Scout leader, and instilled in her children a deep appreciation of the arts and the outdoors. She loved a picnic, whether it was dinner in front of the fireplace or breakfast on an Ozark gravel bar. She also enjoyed gardening, birding, needlework, tennis, figure skating and many other hobbies.
In her seventies, she was diagnosed with vascular dementia. As her illness progressed, music and dancing brought her renewed joy, as did field trips with her adventurous caregivers.
She is survived by her children Alice
(Pete) Eshelman of
Columbia City, Indiana, Clifford Kurrus,
Jr. of Arnold, Missouri, Caroline Kurrus of Arrowsic, Maine, and Philip Kurrus of Kirkwood, Missouri; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, half-sister Eliza Meyer Knotts, many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends, and former spouse Clifford M. Kurrus. She was predeceased by her beloved sister Margot Meyer Holsen in 2006.
The family would like to express their deep appreciation for all the loving care given to Meta after her move to Maine in 2010, most recently at Hill House. A memorial service and picnic is being planned for this summer. Interment at Bellefontaine Cemetery.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less