I was talking to my mother about the Meindls, namely Rolf & Elfriede. Reverend Rolf passed back in 2012, while Elfriede left us a just a few days ago. Although I know very little about them, they were a part of my family’s history. I’m grateful to my mom for her excellent memory.
You meet nice people in church.
When my father was getting sick with the leukemia that was to kill him, he took my mom on a last honeymoon to Bermuda for ten days or so. This wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the Meindls. Although Elfriede and Rolf already had a couple of children of their own, they volunteered to take care of me & my siblings too: four kids on top of the two they had. My mom was telling me how Elfriede waved goodbye while holding my little sister in her arms.
The church was Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Scarborough. And though Rolf & Elfriede would move to Waterloo while Rolf studied at the seminary to become a minister, they stayed in touch. My mom used to visit regularly.
The Meindls made my mom Godmother to their youngest.
Rolf, would have a congregation in Nova Scotia where the family settled.
He was the minister, while she was the artist, maker of delightful ceramic figures.
Looking at the figurines my mom still has, I thought to photograph them to share them here. Although Elfriede may have passed, her wit lives on in these delightful creations.
You can find out more about her work here .