Lola Margaret Meier of Rapid City died peacefully of natural causes Saturday July 9th, 2015 surrounded by loving family members. She was 93 years of age. Lola was preceded in death by her parents George and Hattie Dodds, her husband Karl Meier, all 3 of her siblings Merle Dodds, Irene Brown, and Genevieve O'Connor, her son David Meier, and 2 infant granddaughters. She is survived by 4 children: Margaret Hebert of Seattle WA, Robert (and his spouse Pam) Meier of St. Paul Minnesota, Carol (and her spouse Mike) Iwen of Rapid City, and Patty Meier of Laramie WY. She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Lincoln Hebert, Cherise Reese, Jennie Hebert Anderson (Margaret's family), Amy Ludde and her spouse Christian Ludde, Lee Meier, Wyatt Anderson Meier, Chloe Anderson Meier (David's family), Jason Iwen, Jessica Iwen and her spouse Christopher Lee, Jenny Coffin and her spouse Ryan Coffin (Carol's family), and 7 great grandchildren: Isabella and Braden Reese (Cherise's children), Tristan and Tatum Lee (Jessica's children), Lillian and Grace Coffin (Jenny's children) and James Lee Hastings (Chloe's son). Lola's newest great granddaughter, Grace Caroline Coffin, was born 6 days before her passing. Lola was born March 16, 1922 in White Lake South Dakota to George and Hattie (Archer) Dodds. After graduating from White Lake High School in 1940, she attended Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen where she obtained her teaching certificate. She taught in Belvidere S.D. for one year and then married Karl Meier (also from White Lake) in 1943. Karl and Lola then moved to Rapid City where they made their home, in several locations including the Air Force Base, for 16 years. After the birth of 5 children, Margaret, David, Robert, Carol, and Patty, the Meier family moved to Spearfish S.D. It was in Spearfish that Lola continued her education and began teaching again. She taught elementary music for 2 years in Spearfish and then continued teaching in Rapid City after the family moved back in 1965. Lola taught in the Rapid City Public School System, in 10 different schools, for 18 years. She retired in 1983. Her dedication to community didn't stop with her teaching career. Everywhere she lived she was passionate about friendships and had a deep sense of civic responsibility. A love for both attending and participating in music could best describe one of Lola's greatest interests in life. From the time she was a child she was involved in some way or another with music. She played the saxophone in high school, belonged to and directed many church choirs, sang with the Refuge Choir during the 80s, and played in the Westminster Bell Choir up until a few years before her death. She loved attending performances, from the Dakota Choral Union, Black Hills Symphony, Community Theatre, to Summer Band Concerts, Bells of the Hills, etc. As a teenager, she even had the opportunity to see Louis Armstrong sing and play in Mitchell, S.D. Her children and friends remember that often she would burst out singing if something was said that reminded her of a song. Music was her life. Lola was adventurous, traveling on many occasions with her husband and sister Genevieve, visiting children in many different states including Hawaii. Even in her 90s, she traveled to Maine to see her husband's family. Her travel wasn't limited to close family as she went out of her way to attend family reunions, multiple funerals of relatives and friends, and Memorial Day activities in White Lake. She loved returning to her birth place and catching up with Dodds relatives and friends who still live there. By far Lola's greatest dedication was to her children and grandchildren. She didn't miss a single graduation, wedding, or special event that was important to them. She attended countless music programs and sporting events, even as recently as last summer at her grandson's softball games. She loved baseball and very much enjoyed attending both Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies games with her children. Her daughter remembers sitting with her at a Rockies game and being amazed with Lola's knowledge concerning the players and the game. Throughout Lola's life she maintained a stoic but humorous attitude in both bad times and good. She had a keen memory and sharp wit up until the end, making even the doctors laugh out loud. She will be remembered by friends and family as having a no nonsense matter of fact manner of letting us know the "state of the situation" so to speak. She was loved for knowing just the right time to say out loud what others were thinking. This would usually prompt more than a chuckle from anyone in attendance. She was wise about numerous aspects of life and, as with many from the Depression Era, was a stickler for managing her budget. She often commented on the devil may care spendthrift attitude of today's generation. This frugality was evident even days before her death. One of Lola's most admirable traits was her perseverance through difficult times. Loved ones watched with great pride the way Lola carried her perseverance and strength into her final days, commenting to her daughter "I can't give up". A memorial has been established by the family. Memorial services will be held at Westminster Presbyterian on Saturday, July 25th at 2:00 P.M. A reception will follow the services. Inurnment will take place in White Lake S.D. next Memorial Day weekend, 2016.