Rudolph Ernst Meinhardt

Surrounded by his family, Rudolph Ernst Meinhardt died peacefully on April 25, 2026 in his Park City residence at the grand old age of 96.“Rudy” was born in Port Huron, Michigan on Nov. 15th, 1929,  the only son of Fred and Alwina (Schmidt) Meinhardt, Volga River German-Russians who immigrated to America mere years ahead of WW1 and the Russian Revolution. In infancy, he moved to Montana with his parents to a small farm near the Yellowstone River, 8 miles west of Park City. After morning chores, he’d walk or ride his horse miles to the old Tilden one room country school near Young’s Point, learning side by side with his sister Erna, his cousins, and other farm kids of German-Russian descent. A stellar student, especially in math, he played basketball for the Panthers, and graduated from Park City High School in 1947. After waiting a year for two younger friends to finish school, together they enlisted in the Navy. Rudy received training in meteorology, earning the rate of Aerographer’s Mate 3rd Class. Much of his time in the service was spent at a Naval Weather Station on the Aleutian Peninsula, Alaska providing weather forecasts for our troops fighting in Korea. Years later, any long distance phone call with Rudy was sure to begin with, “So how’s the weather out your way?”

After his honorable discharge in 1952, Rudy returned home to settle in Park City. Three years later he started work full time at the Cenex Oil Refinery in Laurel, seldom missing a day of work until his retirement in 1990, though “shift work” meant a rotating day, evening, and midnight work schedule. In 1957 he was introduced to Cheryl Virgina Amundson, the sister-in-law of his best friend Vic Eisenman. They married in West Fargo, ND on June 14, 1959. Making their residence in Park City, they bought and fixed up the old Corwin house; the only home they would ever own where they raised their five children: Kip, Kevin, Jeanette, Mark and Nancy.

 A devoted husband and father, his family meant everything to Rudy. Summers, he’d jack the camper onto his tan 1967 Ford Pickup, pack up the youngsters and go fishing on the Boulder River; or travel to the Black Hills, Glacier and Yellowstone Parks. He was even brave enough to drive that Ford with four excited kids in tow all the way to Disneyland! And he visited as much as possible, Cheryl’s large extended family in North Dakota, and his sister’s in Brush, CO. In 50 years, he never missed a family reunion, and almost never missed a football or basketball game, school activity, or church event that his 5 kids were involved in; and then later his 10 grandkid’s school activities, even though they lived in 3 different states. 

Rudy was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church; at various periods, he taught Sunday School and led bible studies. He was also a church elder and treasurer and lived humbly and quietly – his Christianity a defining characteristic of his life. Sometimes stern and stoic, but also soft-spoken and caring, Rudy never complained about his health or the state of the world; he was fond of saying, “the sun comes up in the morning – and the world keeps on turning.” 

Rudy diligently planted a big garden every spring, and by fall his green thumb cultivated a harvest of squash, cantaloupe, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. He loved to play cards, put together puzzles, read American history, and was a terrific horseshoe pitcher and bowler in his younger days. He enjoyed attending Billings Mustangs baseball games. He was a member of the American Legion for years, participating in many honor guard ceremonies on Memorial Day. In retirement he and Cheryl bought a membership to Stillwater Golf Club in Columbus, chasing the ball around with friends and family members.

Healthy and fit his entire life, in his 90’s his body began to betray him, and lack of mobility these last few years confined him mostly to home. But thankfully for his friends and family he never lost his sharp mind or sense of humor. His home being located just off the I-90 exit, there was always a constant stream of relatives and visitors passing through Park City stopping in to see how he and Cheryl were doing. And visits from his pastor, nieces and nephews, community members, children and grandchildren, would light up his soft grey eyes. In the end, Rudy will be remembered as a kind and gentle soul who was respected and loved by all who knew him. And his family will miss him more than words can express. 

He is survived by his wife of 66 years Cheryl; oldest son Kipton (Cathy) Meinhardt of Ilwaco, WA; Kevin Meinhardt of Billings; Jeanette (Steve) Winslow of Lincoln, MT; Mark (Stacy) Meinhardt of Ilwaco, and Nancy Meinhardt of East Helena; his beloved grandchildren: Jake, Anneke, Ryan, Madison, Julia, Aimee, Zachary, Kara, Jaxon and Myles, and 3 great-grandchildren: Coral, Calvin and LuElla;  and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Cheryl and family wish to express their sincerest gratitude to Dad’s two angels -  caregiver Meaghan  Simons and Joyce Thompson of Stillwater Hospice; and also to the kind staff at the Billings VA.

Memorial donations in Rudy’s name can be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Park City.

Graveside committal services will be 10:00 am Friday May 29, 2026 at Yellowstone National Cemetery followed by a Memorial Service at 11:00 am at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Park City.