Girard William Myers, 99 of (Pomonkey) Indian Head, Maryland.

Girard William Myers heard the call from his Heavenly Father and peacefully transitioned to his new home on high on March 25, 2025.

A Time to Be Born
Girard was the youngest boy born on July 14, 1925 in Bryans Road, Maryland to the late Reverend Frederick D. Myers and Sarah Matilda Neale Myers.

A Time to Be Educated
Girard received his formal education in the Prince George Public School System, graduating from Frederick Douglass High School. In September 1942, he furthered his education at Morgan State College (now Morgan State University), graduating in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science in Business.  He was a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

A Time to Serve (Military)
In June of 1944, Girard was drafted into the United States Navy and served in World War II for two years at Floyd Bennet Field, New York as an aircraft mechanic. He was responsible for conducting quality assurance checks on aircraft delivered from the manufacturer.  While serving, Girard was fortunate to be one of a handful of people to see the first jet on American soil, flown by a pilot from Germany who defected to the U.S.  He also spent part of his basic training in the classroom teaching African American recruits how to read letters received from families and writing letters for them.  Girard received an honorable discharge in 1946 and then returned to Morgan State College.

A Time to Embrace
Girard met his wife Edith Carroll as teenagers when they sang together in the Rosebud Choir at Brooks United Methodist Church in Nottingham, Maryland, where Girard's father, Rev. Myers was the pastor.  In 1948, they would become husband and wife and from this union they had two sons, Merton and Vernon, and a daughter, Sheila.  After marrying, they moved to Charles County in 1949 and resided on Metropolitan Church Road.  They celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary on January 31, 2025. Their key to a long and fruitful marriage was putting God and family first, faithfulness and unity. His lifelong quote was, "I want to live in a house by the road and be a friend to man".  Girard was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and father-in-law; kind and generous to everyone he met, and has been an inspiration and positive example to his family.

A Time to Serve (Church)
Raised in a Christian home, Girard loved the Lord and at an early age he accepted Christ and dedicated his life to serving God. Girard joined Metropolitan United Methodist Church in 1949 and served on many ministries. He helped with the monthly trash collection along Metropolitan Church Road; sang in the Men's Chorus, A.C. Kane and Combined choirs; initiated PROJECT CARE with the United Methodist Men to help transport senior citizens to medical appointments all over Charles County, Washington, DC area and Baltimore; successfully spearheaded the annual United Methodist Men's Citrus Fundraiser for many, many years (this fundraiser was one of the Men's largest fundraisers); United Methodist Man of the Year twice; honored in 2004 with the President's Appreciation Award by the United Methodist Men; faithfully attended the weekly 6:00 a.m. Intercessory Prayer Service; Chair of the Board of Trustees; Chair of the Building Committee (for the sanctuary and fellowship hall); President of the United Methodist Men; Chair of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee; member of the worship committee and outreach; SHARE FOOD Network and Safe Nights for the Homeless volunteer for over 15 years; church photographer; church electrician, and helped maintain the cemetery. Girard was the eldest male member at the time of his death.

A Time to Serve (Community)
His love for community service started many years ago from fighting for justice for African Americans in the community to volunteering with many organizations in the county. In the early 1950's, Girard was President of the Pomonkey PTA for six years. During that time, he chaired a committee that fought tirelessly with the Charles County Board of Education for construction of a new high school building. They won and the school was named Pomonkey High School (currently Matthew Henson Middle School).

In the early 1970's, Girard was one of a few African American committee members of SMASH (Southern Maryland Action Self Help) for almost five years.  SMASH was responsible for Charles County Government establishing a housing commission and a livability code. He served on the housing commission at its conception for five years.

Girard was a longtime volunteer with Charles County Christmas in April (now called Rebuilding Together*Charles County). He served as a board member and chairman of the House Selection Committee for 24 years until 2006. He volunteered with Meals on Wheels and a member of the Board of Directors for Charles County Cooperative Ministry on Aging.  In 1999 he was selected for one of Maryland's Beautiful People Awards for his community involvement.  A plaque bearing his name is located at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2005, he was honored with the Silver Threads Award for Senior Achievement for his volunteer service.

Girard was the eldest member of the American Legion Jack R. Cross Memorial Post 233 in Indian Head, Maryland.

A Time to Build and Work
After his discharge from the military, Girard began working for the United States Postal Service, first on the mail train traveling from Washington, DC to Pennsylvania sorting mail, then moving inside the building as a supervisor where he supervised 500 employees.  He retired from in 1980 after 30 years of service.

After retirement, Girard soon established himself as a "jack of-all-trades" with Myers Fix-it Service over the next 20 years. There was next to nothing that seemed beyond his scope of abilities. His business motto was "he could fix anything, except a broken heart".  Most will remember him for his work ethics and ensuring that he was fair with everyone.  With Girard, work, family, church, and friends often blended to give him a life that he cherished deeply, and anyone could be considered a part of his "extended family."

In the 1970's, Girard was one of the few African Americans in Charles County that was trained to service oil burner furnaces, and he continued to do so for many years. He was always ambitious in his drive for self-sufficiency and learned to do electrical, plumbing and heating work. He also was his own general contractor in building his home located on Metropolitan Church Road.

A Time to Play
Girard loved planting gardens, traveling, and over the years visited many places including Hawaii, Jamaica and the Bahamas.  He shared his love for traveling with his grandsons, Jesse and Merton, Jr. Girard also loved camping, especially at the KOA campgrounds, and photography. He loved to laugh (and had a deep hearty laugh!) and tell jokes.

A Time to Mourn
Girard leaves to cherish his memory his loving and devoted wife of 77 years, Edith; two sons, Merton (Kathy), Vernon; one daughter, Sheila; six grandchildren, Jesse (Sureer), Merton, Jr. (Nicole), Dimika, John (Bianca), Catina, and Bernadine; eighteen great-grandchildren, Jhaeda, Makayla, Takerah, Olivia, Ilyas, Abdullahi, Shuayb, Jasmine, Maya, Davon, Devonte, Jalayah, Ian, Gia, Tyrone, Eric, Trayvon, and Shykira; god-daughter, Robbie, and a host of other relatives, friends and his Metropolitan Church family.

Until the time of his passing, Girard was the last living member of his immediate family.  As he entered into his eternal home, we're sure he was well received with joy by his father, Rev. Myers, his mother Sarah Myers; sisters, Dorcas, Nancy, Lillian, and Ophelia; brothers, Frederick, Jr., Ralph, Norman, French, Sr., Richard, and Oliver; and two "like brothers", Frederick Richardson and Earl S. Jordan.

While Girard is gone from us physically, he will never be forgotten and he will live on forever in our hearts. We can see Girard happily sitting with his family, and his father "Pop Fred" saying to him, "What took you so long? We've been waiting for you! Come on in and pull up a seat at the table. Dinner is ready."

Girard's favorite song, by which he tried to live his life, was "If I Can Help Somebody As I Pass Along."

If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody that they're travellng wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
If I can do my duties as a good man ought,
If I can bring back beauty to a world up wrought,
If I can share love's message like the Master taught,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
Chorus:
Then my living shall not be in vain,
No my living shall not be in vain
If I can help somebody as I go along,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

We are so grateful for the time we had with him and will cherish our memories. We thank God for allowing us to have him in our lives and to share his love and wisdom for his many years on earth.  We pray that we may honor him by living our lives in a way that would make him proud.

Viewing, 9:00 a.m. until the time of his Celebration of Life, 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at his home church, Metropolitan United Methodist Church, 3385 Metropolitan Church Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640.  Interment, Church Cemetery.

Please click the link below to live stream the service on Saturday, April 12th at 11:00 a.m.

YOUTUBE

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0LFKnP2FNzvwvTqeSuUFbA

ZOOM

https://zoom.us

Meeting ID: 961 1274 4083

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