Mindy Meiklejohn, who to some was “Mrs. Republican” in Colorado, died June 30. She was 80.
She had fought cancer for eight years but “never gave up, until the last breath,” said her husband, Al Meiklejohn, a former state legislator who served 21 years.
“She was an extraordinary woman and absolutely made a huge difference in the world around her,” said former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown, who called her Mrs. Republican.
Meiklejohn, who was co-manager for Brown’s first run at the U.S. Senate, made a difference “because of who got elected” in many races, Brown said. “She was one of the most thoughtful leaders I know and was phenomenal at organizing and getting people involved.”
“She was a worker, day and night,” said Tom Norton, a former legislator. “She wasn’t interested in running (for office) but in being a support,” Norton said. “Anyone who wanted something done would say, ‘Let’s get Mindy,’ ” said Norton, who is also former director of the Colorado Department of Transportation.
“She was a most able political operative,” said her husband, who was in the state legislature from 1974 until 1996.
“We’d go door to door, organize blocks, make phone calls and lick stamps,” said Al Meiklejohn, of Arvada.
“She loved politics even though she got zero pay,” said her son Bruce Meiklejohn of Indianapolis.
With her high profile in Colorado, she met many national Republican officials. Once she was on Air Force Two with then-Vice President George H. W. Bush, flying from Washington, D.C., to Denver. She began taking matches and napkins stamped with the vice presidential seal and putting them in her purse.
A Secret Service agent came to her and said Bush wanted to see her. She froze, saying, “I’ll put them back,” convinced she was going to be “scolded” for taking the mementos, said Bruce Meiklejohn, laughing. But Bush just wanted to visit.
Mindy Meiklejohn involved her family in her campaign ventures and was especially stern about voting. “She lectured me all the time about voting and said, ‘That is the reason you have what you have,’ ” Bruce Meiklejohn said.
Lorraine J. Mindrup was born in Staunton, Ill., on June 9, 1929. She got the “Mindy” nickname because of her last name.
She was a flight attendant for Continental Airlines when she met Alvin Meiklejohn Jr. When they married on April 25, 1953, she had to give up flying because stewardesses weren’t allowed to be married. The airlines gave her a ground job.
When she was expecting their first child, she lost the Continental job. In later years she worked in real estate.
She was the organizational director for Colorado Republicans in the early 1980s, a member of the Republican Central Committee, and vice chairwoman of the Jefferson County and Colorado Republican parties.
She was on the national advisory council of the U. S. Peace Corps, board member of the National Federation of Republican Women and a trustee of the Harry S Truman Scholarship Foundation.
She was president of Operation Shelter Inc. and was on the board of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District and the Butterfly Pavilion.
In addition to her husband and son, she is survived by another son, Scott Meiklejohn of Lakewood; two daughters: Pamela Kelsall of Denver and Shelley Dressler of Arvada; 11 grandchildren; and her sister, Marilyn Hoerres of Connecticut.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
