Michael “Mike” F. Meyer died suddenly at home on June 5, 2026, at the age of 66.

He was born in Millville, Iowa, the oldest of five children of Earl and Anna Meyer.  He was proud of playing football at Guttenberg High School and went on to attend Hawkeye Technical College for Art. From his parents and rural upbringing, he developed a love for hunting, fishing, nature and art that he carried with him his entire life.

Mike began his art career as a textbook illustrator for W.C. Brown Publishing Co. in Dubuque, where he met the love of his life, Renee, an artist and teacher who he married in 1990, gaining Kristin and Weston as his children.  Mike taught himself digital graphic design and launched his first business, Wilderness Graphics, which served large publishing firms around the Midwest in the early days of the transition to digital publishing. In 2003, Mike and Renee co-founded a new business venture, Painted Sky Designs, with their lifelong friends Tom and Susie Orr.  Mike continued to work for the business as its sole artist to this day as his children took over operations and Renee retired.

Throughout his working life, Mike never strayed from his two loves of wildlife and art, building an oasis of beauty and inspiration at his home and studio in southern Dubuque County. Mike and Renee’s home is filled with his art and Mike freely gave his art as gifts to friends and family, often capturing meaningful people, places and memories. Every winter he created expert level snow sculptures in his yard, and every fall he carved beautiful pumpkins, even though they both only lasted a few weeks. For Mike, art was always about enjoying the process and the final product was secondary.

Mike’s family was his world, and he will be sadly missed by his wife Renee, his daughter Kristin (Kevin) Dietel, his son Weston (Ellen) Pins, and his adoring grandchildren, Beckett Dietzel, Charlotte Dietzel, Hayes Pins, and Georgie Pins. He gave his grandkids all his attention, heart, and humor when he was with them, and loved them easily and wholly. They will greatly miss Poppa’s jokes, boat rides, baseball games, hikes in the woods, fishing adventures, art lessons, worm hunting, and snowy day adventures.

He is also survived by his mother Anna Meyer; his brothers Tony Meyer, Chirs (Erin) Meyer, and Brian Meyer; his sister Mary (Clarence) Blea; his brothers-in-law Tom (Janice) Splinter and John (Mary Jo) Splinter; his sisters-in-law Vicki Splinter and Linda (John) Ginter; his aunt Helen (Tony) Klug; cousins in the US and Germany; many nieces and nephews; dear friends Kevin and Sara, PJ and Tina, Bob and Dana, and Jeff and Jonna; and so many others who Mike connected with through long conversations and epic vacations with family and friends.

Preceding him in death is his father, Earl Meyer; his parents in-laws Ken and Beth Splinter and Paul and Joyce Splinter, brothers-in-law Ralph Splinter, Jim Splinter, and Ted Splinter; and his dear friends from home Bart Smith and Mike Ries.

A celebration of life featuring Mike’s art will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers or other memorials, a donation can be made in Mike’s honor to the Mike Meyer Memorial Fund, which will be donated for his passions of art and wildlife education.

The family would like to thank the first responders from Key West, Dubuque County Sherriff’s Department, and Iowa DNR for their quick response, kindness and professionalism.

Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, Dubuque, IA is assisting the family.