In Memoriam: Helder Filipe Mendes

Helder Filipe Mendes, past owner of Canwest Elevators, host of the 2018 Canadian Elevator Contractors Association (CECA) convention in Calgary, Canada, passed away suddenly alongside his mother, Maria Victoria Mendes, on June 29. Calgary-based Canwest got its start in the home healthcare industry, later morphing into a vertical-transportation company that carved out some interesting niches throughout Alberta. Mendes immigrated to Canada from Portugal as a teenager and later married the love of his life, an Alberta nurse named Lynn. He was a successful oil and gas economist who was looking for a life change that included business ownership when he founded MEDIchair in the 1980s. Stairlifts were the core product, but client requests led to residential and commercial passenger elevators joining the mix. In 2005, Mendes sold the MEDIchair arm of the company to focus exclusively on elevators. In retirement, Medes’ life revolved around family, especially his nine beloved grandchildren. Survivors include wife, Lynn; children, Matthew, Kaity and Justin; and many other close family members and friends. “Our thoughts are with Helder’s family and his former employees at this time,” CECA Executive Director Catharine Bothwell said.