Seward Mortimer Meintsma

Seward M. “Mort” Meintsma passed away at the age of 94, on October 10, 2016 in Edmond, Oklahoma.

A memorial service will be held at the Silver Creek Community Church, 4282 - 114th St NW Silver Creek, MN, on Friday, September 28, 2018 at 10:00 in the morning. Graveside services with military honors will follow at Lakeview Cemetery, 9542 County Rd 8 outside Silver Creek. There will be a lunch at the church afterward.

Seward was born March 16, 1922 and raised on a dairy farm near Maple Lake, Minnesota. Mort was the oldest of four siblings. After graduating from High School, he enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1943 and was trained as a bomber pilot. He piloted B-24s on 35 combat missions over Europe during World War II. After the war he flew for the European Air Transport Service, flying missions throughout Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa and was stationed at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin when the Russians blockaded the city. He flew missions on the Berlin Airlift from the very first days until the blockade was lifted and the Airlift discontinued. It was during the Airlift that Mort met and married Nellye Anne Cross, from Cheyenne Oklahoma. They were married in Heidelberg, Germany, where Nellye Anne worked in an Army headquarters. Mort decided to remain in the military after missing an opportunity for a pilot position to fly for Northwest Airlines because his military commitment had not expired, and being offered a copilot position when it did. He continued to fly in the newly formed Air Force, flying B-29s, B-36s, B-47s and B-52s for the Strategic Air Command, later transitioning to Maintenance and then to the Inspector General's team. His last assignment with the Air Force before retiring in 1972 as a Lieutenant Colonel was as a maintenance and logistics advisor to the Vietnamese Air Force. Decorations he received for his service in the military include the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the French Legion of Honour for his contribution to the liberation of France during World War II. In 1973 he moved to Edmond Oklahoma, studied at Central State University, receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, worked as a flight instructor, obtained an Air Transport Pilot rating, and was an active member of numerous veteran's organizations. He and Nellye Anne traveled extensively worldwide. They resided in Edmond, Oklahoma until he passed away. Nellye Anne passed away at the age of 93 in Salt Lake City, where she had moved to live near their son, Diederic, and daughter, Ruth, on August 12, 2017. A memorial service for Nellye Anne is planned for the fall of 2019 in Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

Seward is survived by his sister Margery Hoffman and her husband Todd of Salem OR; daughters Charissa L Meintsma of San Francisco CA, Ruth H L Meintsma of Park City UT, Nellie S Worthwine and husband Will of Boise ID; sons Seward M Meintsma Jr of Springfield MO, and Diederic V Meintsma of Salt Lake City UT; and two grandchildren, Kassidy and Joesephine. He is preceded in death by his parents Peter and Hazel Meintsma; and brothers David and Peter Meintsma.

Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Maple Lake.

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