Helmut Meidl

Helmut Meidl was a loving father, husband, and Opa, who passed away peacefully at Little Company of Mary Hospital on Friday, December 29, 2023, surrounded by family who helped comfort him towards his next journey. Helmut is survived by his spouse Senta Meidl; sons Cliff (Lisa) and Norm (Karen), and granddaughters Devon and Sara. Helmut was born and raised in Altotting, Germany, a small town south of Munich. He was one of six brothers and sisters. During his youth and into his adult life, Helmut enjoyed playing many sports including soccer, gymnastics, cycling, and skiing.

Helmut completed his high school education in Germany and then went on to become a Journeyman Founder working in a local steel mill. At the age of 20, he decided to leave the country and start a new chapter of his life and immigrated to Winnipeg, Canada, where he often explored different areas of the country, traveling coast to coast on his bicycle with his best friend. He once rode across Canada from Winnipeg to the west coast and up the Alaskan Highway cycling over three thousand miles on a three-speed bike with only a small bag of clothes, a raincoat, and a blanket on his back. This is one of the many adventures that showed how determined Helmut was.

During the early 1960s, Helmut pursued another adventure in life and met his wife and companion of 60 years, Senta. They briefly lived in Toronto and Vancouver, then later moved to Manhattan Beach, California, where they would start their family. They had two sons, Cliff and Norm.

Helmut was defined by his dedication to his family and strong work ethic! He worked for 38 years in the airline industry for both Western and Delta airlines. Here he made many life-long friends, with whom he kept in touch with long after he retired.

Helmut was a great athlete and his love for soccer grew even more as a father. Not only did he coach his two sons in both AYSO and PSL soccer, he also played in several men's soccer leagues. One of his favorite enjoyments was playing and traveling with the airline soccer teams to various international cities. During retirement, Helmut kept busy working on home projects and especially enjoyed assisting his sons and friends in working on their homes. No matter the job he was always ready and willing to assist others. This was a staple of his kindness, generosity, and love for helping others.

He also continued following his love for the beach and California lifestyle. He could often be found riding his bike on the strand or cruising his motorcycle with friends. Helmut was an incredibly social person. It was great to see how many friends showed up to celebrate his 80th birthday party. Throughout his life, Helmut made a special impact on all those he met. He was loved by many and always enjoyed having fun. His family and friends greatly admired his strong character, great sense of humor, and zest for life. Helmut passed on these important virtues to both of his sons.

We would like to extend a special "thank you" to all of the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Little Company of Mary Hospital. Their compassion and guidance throughout this difficult process was greatly appreciated. Services will be held at 10am on Friday, February 23 at Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 S. Western Ave, RPV. "We will always carry your memory in our hearts."