Charles Edmund "Kiwi" Meredith Jr.

Charlie , a Man with a Big! Big! Heart! Elizabeth and I frequently reminisce about You. You left us too soon. But while you were here you gave us joy, some direction and instruction and your labor which enhanced all of us. We miss you ! We maintain the refrain " Where's Charlie?" But we know You are always there and Here ! Thank You again for being an important part of us. Love You! Don Peter

Charlie's Father, also called Charlie, was a great friend and fishing buddy of my Dad, Bill Hutcheson. Charlie senior owned a service station in Belmont, on Auckland's North Shore. On my first day of kindergarten, probably 1953, (I would have been about 4), I couldn't understand why my Mum had left me in this strange place, so I climbed out the window and crossed Lake road to Charlie senior's service station. He picked me up, dried my eyes and called My mum to come and get me. I always loved...

hi my name is ray gilbert,we are a family of 4 boys & 2 girls, (The Gilberts. We all went to school with your dad, ST,LEOS convent, & then later to St Pauls college. Charlie often sat at our dinner table as we did at his. Charlie was very kind to the girls also to our mom & dad, he treated them with great respect, as we did with his family. Trevor my younger brother, me & charlie, all played in the same teams together through our school days, you are right he wasnt big in stature but he had...

I met Kiwi in 1973,at Putnam.I learned quite a lot from him.He was a great friend and teacher.He also introduced me to Rugby and eating fish.
One time Kiwi asked me,if I wanted to go to Lake Berryesa? Sure,How long will it take I asked? He said about two cases of Beer,he said.
You could not ask for a better Friend or Mentor than Kiwi was.
Kiwi we Love you and will miss you.God Bless You and Watch over your Family.

Charlie was my inspiration to travel to New
Zealand, a truly magical place.I became an
All Blacks supporter and was sad when the "Kiwi's" lost the Americas Cup. I will always
remember Charlie's sense of humor and as
a friend who turned me on to "orange roughy" (fish from N.Z.) He will be missed.

Richard Jones from NZ wrote and requested that these words be read at Charlie's funeral reception:

Tony..my message for Charlie’s sendoff...

I first met Charlie in 1971 after a rugby game played in Palo Alto against San Francisco rugby Club. After the match we were invited back to the Meredith's house on Midvale where I met Diane and Charlie’s family and Ginger. Over the years as I watched the children grow up, I spent many hours with Charlie doing what he loved, playing rugby...

Horace Morell, a childhood friend of my father from NZ, asked that this be read at his funeral (which it was):

From Horace and Lynne Morrell, to be read please.

Charlie Meredith,

A great mate and a friend of the family. You'll be missed my friend.

Charlie made the trip to NZ once every 12 to 18 months. Our home was his home. We would get the call from Charlie, " Mummy, I'm on my way over. Has grumpy got room at Hotel Morrell.
And within days another...

I first met charlie when I started working at putnam in 1975 and we would share break time and lunch times together,which of course led to after work to hoist "just one" beer perhaps a game of pool somewhere and all I can say is what a wonderfull freindship that has carried on through the years,it did not matter if at some points we did not see each other for awhile when ever we did meet up the smiles and laughs flowed Thanks my brother for taking me to rugby games in the city,fishing over by...

I got to know Charlie when he first became ill. Kristi visited him every week and I'd be her back-up in case she got held up in traffic and didn't make it back in time to pick up the children from school. Kristi and I have jogged together for years, since our youngest were in pre-school together. On our regular jogs we would find ourselves talking about Charlie's progress. Charlie and I had similar culinary tastes, so when Kristi was concerned that her dad's weight had plummeted, I made...