 Mrs. Meyerott Rosemary Royce Meyerott, longtime Los Altos Hills resident and town historian, died May 13 in her sleep. She was 86.
After suffering a stroke in 1993, Mrs. Meyerott had been in failing health for a few years, according to her daughter, Nancy Meyerott Corbett.
Mrs. Meyerott volunteered as Los Altos Hills’ town historian for nearly 20 years, from 1976 to 1995, filing, clipping, researching and interviewing to document the town’s history. She was particularly interested in preserving memories of rural living.
“My mother fell into it,” said Susan Meyerott-Gibbons, Mrs. Meyerott’s daughter. “It was never a paid position, but it was a position that she loved.”
Mrs. Meyerott helped with many townwide projects, including the opening of Fremont Hills Elementary School in the early 1960s.
“I can remember when the town would not name a street without getting Rosemary’s advice,” said Elayne Dauber, former Los Altos Hills mayor. “She knew more history and stories about the town than anyone else that I knew.”
Born July 27, 1921, in Washington, D.C., to Bryce and Rose Royce, Mrs. Meyerott enjoyed country living and yearned to live on a farm. She met her husband of 64 years, Roland “Rollie” E. Meyerott, a “farm boy” with a doctorate in physics, when he taught at Yale University.
The Meyerotts moved to Los Altos Hills in 1956, when the town looked like a patchwork of cow pastures and apricot orchards. They had six children and a menagerie of animals, including dogs, birds, horses and goats.
Daughters Susan and Nancy said their mother was “fiery” and “sassy,” and they recalled the loving banter between their parents.
One running family gag featured Rollie putting an old toilet in the pigeon pen to be used as a statue and nesting place. It provided a point of interest for him to show guests while her daughters helped Mrs. Meyerott finish dressing for parties, Susan said with a laugh.
“It’s just great to be able to share stories about her because she was such a character. … She was gracious and fiery,” Susan said.
Mrs. Meyerott’s youthful spirit shone through, even in her accessories – the tapping of her red “Spring-o-Later” shoes, circa 1956, and her old typewriter provided a soundtrack to their memories.
“I have such a glamorous vision of my mother,” Susan said.
Susan and Nancy said that even in her passing, their mother continues to inspire them.
In 1998 Susan wrote a poem – “Ode to Daddy” – about the love shared between her parents. She is currently working on an art series about her mother in her red shoes, titled “Liftoff.”
A graveside service took place May 16 at Alta Mesa Cemetery in Palo Alto. Family and friends celebrated Mrs. Meyerott’s life at a memorial service May 18 at Fremont Hills Country Club.
“My parents were original members of Fremont Hills Country Club, so it was an appropriate venue,” Susan said.
In addition to her husband, Rollie, and her daughters, Nancy and Susan, Mrs. Meyerott is survived by daughters Jean Korus and Gayle Royce-Nash; sons Royce Meyerott and Robert Meyerott; 12 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; eight granddogs; six grandbirds; and three grandcats.
Contact Shannon Barry at
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