Harold David Meier

Harold David Meier (Dave), 85, of Lake Geneva passed away at his home on June 19th, 2019.

He was born Harold David Meier to the late Harold and Agnes (Kandt) Meier in Lockport, New York on December 14, 1933. He was the middle son between his older brother Gerald and his younger brother Paul Charles, who both precede him in death. 

Dave graduated from Bronxville Preparatory School in Bronxville New York in 1951. After High School he enrolled in Concordia Seminary in St. Louis Missouri where he earned his Theological Degree. On August 30, 1959 Dave was united into marriage to Renata Gertrude Niermann in her hometown of Cheyenne Wyoming. Dave and Renata were married for 59 years.

Dave started his career as a full-time ordained Lutheran minister in Richmond Virginia, where his two sons Mark David and John Thomas (Tom) were born. After a few years, Dave left full time ministry and moved the family to Chicago where he worked in the new field of computers and later as a sales director for a home security company. During these years Dave was a part time pastor at St. Gregory of Nyssa church on the University of Chicago campus and also active in the anti-war movement, assisting religious conscientious objectors from being drafted to Vietnam. 

In 1975 Dave moved the family to Lake Geneva Wisconsin and took a job as a training manager for a Milwaukee manufacturer. In 1980, unsatisfied with the ineffectiveness of standard corporate and educational learning approaches, he founded The Center For Accelerated Learning with the mission of making learning and teaching more effective by bringing back joy, physical activity, and what he called “learning as creation not consumption” to the learning process. Throughout his long career Dave worked with hundreds of organizations, from corporations, schools, non-profit entities, and government. He served clients mostly in the U.S. and Canada, and he also worked in Mexico, England, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Germany. 

In 2000 he wrote a groundbreaking and best-selling book called The Accelerated Learning Handbook. He was a “household name” in the Training and Development community and a sought-after seminar leader. He was a natural entertainer who could inspire with his humor, care, and passion for helping people connect to their own “genius within.” He personally influenced and inspired countless learning professionals who would often refer to the experience at one of Dave’s seminars as “life-changing” and “eye-opening”, many citing it is as the most influential of their entire careers. 

Today the Center For Accelerated Learning has a presence in the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Dave’s work is influencing a new generation of teachers and trainers at home and around the world.

He was happiest when he was active and busy. He never truly retired, and he was completing a book on the future of learning upon his death.

When Dave wasn’t traveling or running his business you could find him working on his horse farm in Springfield, Wisconsin, planting trees, clearing weeds, and keeping the pond clean. Dave was a big supporter of Fellow Mortals Wildlife Hospital in Lake Geneva. Many of the animals that Fellow Mortals had rehabilitated were released on the property that he and Renata owned.

Dave had a quick wit and a wry sense of humor. He loved playing the piano and singing, and he was an avid reader and lover of books. He also loved classical music, renaissance art, and a good barbecue. 

Dave’s wife of 59 years, Renata, survives him.  Also 2 sons and their spouses: Mark and Kim Meier of Brookfield and Tom and Esther Meier of Delavan, Wisconsin.  3 grandchildren: Erica (Dan) Carlson, Kirsten Meier and Matthias Meier and 1 great grandchild Christopher Carlson also survive Dave.

Services for Dave will be held on Friday July 12th, 2019 at 11:00am at Derrick Funeral Home, with burial to follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Thursday July 11th, 2019 from 5:00pm till 7:00pm at the Funeral Home.  

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy the family has asked that you make a donation in Dave’s name to Fellow Mortals.  A link has been provided below.

Derrick Funeral Home of Lake Geneva is more than honored to be assisting the Meier family during their time of need. 

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