Wanda (Halliwill) Mae Meyer, 74, of Wadena, died April 15, 2009 at her home.

Funeral services were held April 20, at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Wadena.

Arrangements were with the Brenny Funeral Home in Staples.

Wanda was born Sept. 23, 1934 in Wadena to Oral and Marion (Mills) Halliwill. She attended country school and graduated from Wadena High School in 1952. After graduation she moved to Minneapolis and then Anchorage, Alaska. In 1955, she moved to Seattle, Washington, where she met and married Donald Meyer on April 7, 1956.

In 1967, Wanda opened a pizza shop, Pizza Dena, in Federal Way, Washington. Pizza Dena was named after her mother's restaurant that was located in Wadena. She went on to become a successful restaurateur, owning four restaurants in all. Wanda returned to Wadena in June of 1990. She enjoyed family camping trips, cooking, gardening, playing pinochle and bowling. She especially enjoyed the kids in the youth bowling program. One of her greatest joys was her grandchildren.

Wanda is survived by two sons, Gary (Paula) Meyer of Rainier, Wash.; Steven (Kathy) Meyer of Medford, Ore.; two daughters, Voni Meyer; and Judy (Russell) Johnston, both of Wadena; nine grandchildren, one great-grandson, three sisters, Joanne Walz of Sebeka; Joyce Ramberg of Coon Rapids; Lyn (Dave) Schonebaum of Medina; two brothers, Dean (Linda) Halliwill of Long Lake; and Dwight "Ike" (Sharon) Halliwill of Gull Lake.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two brothers; Jerome, and Jon.

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