The 21st annual Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House golf tournament on Oct. 23 was a celebration of community support and a touching tribute to the enduring legacy of Stuart F. Meyer.
Among the 144 players was one of Meyer’s grandsons, Bryan Ashley, 34, of Fenton, Missouri. He, along with his cousins and brother-in-law, represented his family and honored his grandfather’s memory at the event.
“It’s amazing to see the support for my grandfather and his legacy,” said Ashley. “Our family has been coming to this event for years, but now it’s our generation’s turn. It’s exciting to see the impact the hospice house has had on the community.”
Stuart F. Meyer, former president of the St. Louis Cardinals and Flagler County resident, spent his final days in the compassionate care of hospice. In his memory, his family supported the construction of a hospice house on the AdventHealth Palm Coast campus more than two decades ago.
“My grandfather passed away from cancer, and that time was really hard, but hospice provided comfort for my entire family,” Ashley recalled. “Seeing the support here today is monumental; this will help others going through the same experience.”
The connection between the Meyer family and AdventHealth dates back to 2005, when Meyer, a Hammock Dunes resident, expressed his wish to establish hospice care for the community. After his passing, his loved ones rallied to raise $4 million to build the first and only standalone hospice house called the Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House at AdventHealth Palm Coast.
Opened in 2007, the eight-bed Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House is the community’s most comprehensive hospice, offering acute, respite, home health and continuous care. No other hospice in Flagler County offers all four services.
“Our team provides the highest level of care to hospice patients, whether at home, in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospitals, or in-patient facilities,” said Rema Cole, Vice President of AdventHealth Hospice Care. “It is all about keeping people where they are most comfortable.”
“Stuart’s wife, Doris, was on our Foundation board for many years and this golf tournament has become a family tradition, with the grandchildren and even a great-grandchild joining us to celebrate what the Meyer family started,” said John Subers, executive director of the AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation and East Florida Hospice Care Foundation.
For Ashley and his family, the tournament is more than just a day of golf – it is a way to keep their grandfather’s spirit alive.
“We wanted to represent him today and show off his legacy and how awesome he was as a person and philanthropist,” said Ashley.
This year’s Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House Golf Tournament raised $56,000, with 36 golf teams signed up. Those who would like to also support can contribute online.