Harold Ernest Meidinger

Harold Ernest Meidinger

Harold Ernest Meidinger, 18, was born on Aug. 29, 1994, in Miles City, Mont. He died on Feb. 16, 2013, due to causes from an accident.

Harold attended Headstart Preschool and Elementary schools in Miles City. He graduated from Terry High School in 2012. He recently completed his first semester at Montana State University-Northern in Havre in diesel mechanics coursework.

Harold was a people person; friendly, personable and loved to visit and text. He really loved guns, hunting and trapping, learning the ropes from local trappers Dan and Les Thomason. He helped with farming and ranching with Brad Eaton (Eaton Ranch), Lon Reukauf (Cherry Creek Ranch) and Joel and Nichole Jackson Ranch. While attending Northern, Harold was employed at Bear Paw Livestock Center in Chinook, and spent a lot of his time helping out on North Country Quarter Horse Ranch in Big Sandy, with Fred, Linda, Grace Finke and Preston Meidinger. Through his travels, Harold met and made many new friends.

Harold loved to take his mother out hunting, fishing and camping. He enjoyed riding horses and fixing up his 1998 Dodge 4x4. He was always game for new things like team roping and bull riding with his friends. Harold's real interest was working on vehicles He had a true sense of mechanics, spending many hours under hoods of different vehicles. He loved snowmobiling, four-wheeling, motorcycling and mudslinging.

He loved playing the banjo and watching movies. He enjoyed cooking and would vacuum in exchange for home-cooked meals topped with ketchup, tabasco or ranch dressing.

He always stopped to help someone out friend or stranger … he had a heart of gold. He loved technology including phones, stereos and computers.

He kept everyone guessing on what he would do next. His least favorite thing to do was building and repairing electric fences. He was young and adventurous.

His best friend was his loyal and loving dog, Jack.

He is survived by his mother, Doris Meidinger of Terry; grandmother, Edna Meidinger of Miles City; and other relatives, Dora Meidinger-Huckins, Linda (Fred) and Grace Finke, Preston Meidinger all from Big Sandy, Iva (Gary) Kirkpatrick, Daniel (Dawnya) Kirkpatrick of Terry, Charlene Meidinger and Kora (Nick) Payne from Clyde Park, Kim Haas of Livingston, Roland Meidinger from Alexadria N.D., DJ Meidinger of Dickinson N.D., Floyd Huckins of Broadus, Randi Kirkpatrick of Glendive, Michelle (James) Hendrickson of Shoshone Wyo., Shanna Huckins of White Sulphur Springs, Lyle Huckins of Jacksonville, N.C., Micah and Shawnee Kirkpatrick of Terry.

He is preceded in death by his grandfather and namesake, Harold Meidinger, and his grandmother, Ilene Meidinger.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Harold E. Meidinger Memorial and mailed to Box 50, Terry, MT 59349.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at 1 p.m. at Community Presbyterian Church in Terry. Interment will be held at a later date. Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home will be in charge of the arrangements and condolences can be made to the family by visiting: http://www.stevensonandsons.com.