Harold H. Meyer

Harold H. Meyer of Centennial, Colorado was diagnosed with cancer on December 17, 2013. He died a month later on January 19, 2014. He enjoyed eighty-eight and a half years of excellent health. He rode his bicycle seven miles every day for at least the last 36 years! His next-door neighbors, the Gangloffs, refer to him as 'iron man.' In the spring of 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor most schools across our nation shortened the school year as did Manito High School in southern Illinois's farming district, the idea being the young adults could finish school and get on with fighting a war. Harold was only sixteen at the time of his high school graduation, he was too young to be drafted, and when he read the Pan American Airlines help wanted ad in the local newspaper, he met the under-draft-age job requirement and was hired to work as a radio operator. He drove south to Miami, and in record time, he completed the training at Pan American's Miami Dinner Key facility, and quickly he was out on the line serving as a radio operator on the airboat Clippers, Sikorsky S-42. He worked the flights up and down the east coast of South America. When he was old enough, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, but the war ended before he could complete cadet training in Amarillo Texas, however complements of the G.I. Bill, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Illinois, and of course an Aeronautical Engineer also earns a pilot's license. He completed the course of study in only three years and took a job with Lockheed where he worked on the design of the 'Connie' aircraft. On January 2, 1952, he was hired as a pilot at United Airlines. He always referred to meeting and marrying stewardess Janet Godwin as an ""Occupational hazard,"" with which she always countered her interpretation, ""Fringe benefit."" He retired from United in 1985 having worked more than 33 years without a single emergency! After retirement, he and three Cherry Knolls neighborhood pilots, Bob Doubek, Bob Ainsworth, and Satch Hoagland began meeting on Wednesday mornings at the Village Inn (at Arapahoe & Holly), and over the years that group continued to grow and became a Wednesday Fly-in group that some call the Lunch Bunch and others call the Wednesday Fliers. In 1993, Hal bought a Piper Arrow Turbo Charged Airplane and became active in the Colorado Pilots Association. He and Janet have flown to many CPA Fly-Ins, and they are proud to have made friends with pilots from all over the state. He leaves a large and loving family of five children, Michael (Valissa), John (Sherrie), Robyn (Richard Taylor), Dave (Cheri) and Nathan (Theresa). There are eight grandchildren, Darren, Calea (Tim Smith), & Brooke; Brittany & Kyle Taylor; Hannah & Logan; & Landen. Hal was the personification of valor and honor. He did not judge. A memorial service will be at Horan & McConaty, 5303 East County Line Rd. (One block west of Holly Street), Centennial, CO 80122, on Thursday, January 30, 2014, 10:30 am. Memorial Donations to American Cancer Society, 2255 S. Oneida St., Denver CO 80224, or at cancer.org. Please share your memories of Harold and condolences with his family by signing the guestbook.