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OKLAHOMA CITY — Mercy is mourning the passing of Herman Meinders, whose legacy of compassionate giving will continue to improve lives for generations to come.
Meinders, 87, died Sunday. The longtime Oklahoma City resident was the largest individual Mercy donor in Oklahoma and the second-largest across all states Mercy serves. His contributions have transformed local health care and changed countless lives for the better.
“All of us at Mercy are praying for Herman and his family as we celebrate his life and mourn his passing,” said Steve Mackin, Mercy president and CEO. “We’re honored to be custodians of his legacy, a role we share with so many others, by providing innovative health care services in settings Herman’s philanthropy made possible. He made his community and our world a better place through his work and generosity.”
Meinders and Mercy
Since 2018, Herman and LaDonna Meinders have donated nearly $20 million to Mercy Health Foundation.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that thousands of people are living better lives thanks to the Meinders family and their incredible generosity,” said Lori Cummins, vice president of Mercy Health Foundation Oklahoma. “They have truly transformed health care services in Oklahoma City in ways that ensure their legacy goes far beyond our lifetimes. We’re so grateful for everything they’ve done, and we’re praying for all of Herman’s family and friends.”
Construction is underway on the Kathryn Ann Meinders Digestive Health Institute, named in honor of the Meinders’ daughter. The $10 million donation that made the facility possible is the largest in a long list of major gifts from the family to Mercy.
The Meinders family’s donation has contributed to the resounding success of the Meinders NeuroScience Institute, making Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City the top-ranked neurological hospital in the state.
One recent donation funded the Meinders Center for Movement Disorders, and another major contribution went to the Love Family Women’s Center.
The Meinders’ gift of a new CT imaging machine in the hospital’s Emergency Department propelled Mercy to the No. 1 rank nationally in door-to-needle time for stroke patients, ensuring that stroke patients receive the fastest-possible care at a time when every second counts.
About Herman Meinders
Herman Meinders was born in Pipestone, Minnesota, and attended Oklahoma City University in the 1950s.
He went on to start American Floral Services, an early success story in the international flowers-by-wire business. It grew to include 23,000 member florists in the U.S. and Canada and 50,000 worldwide. Meinders sold the company in 1994, and it merged with Teleflora in 2000.
Inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1998, Meinders became well known for far-reaching philanthropical gifts supporting education, faith-based organizations, the arts, major civic projects and much more.
