Thomas Patrick Meade

Thomas Patrick Meade died on October 24, 2020, in Louisville, KY. Born July 6, 1939 to R.J. and Anna T. Meade in Hannibal, MO, he was named for his great-grandfather, who was born in Ireland in 1839.

He was one of six children. Mr. Meade attended Catholic grade school and high school. He was awarded a scholarship to Quincy University, a Franciscan college in Quincy, IL. He graduated in 1961 with a B.A. in History and received the Circle K Award from the Kiwanis Club for academic achievement. He received a scholarship to Saint Louis University and worked for room and board at a boy's shelter, Father Dunne's Home for Newsboys. He graduated in 1964 with a Juris Doctor degree and received the Student Conclave Award for Outstanding Senior.

After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve. He received basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, then went to Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX for medic training. After completing his active duty military service, he was employed by a law firm in St. Louis for two years.

In 1967, he returned to his hometown of Hannibal as Juvenile Officer of the 10th Judicial Circuit and had a part-time law practice. In 1969, he resigned as Juvenile Officer and moved to Palmyra, MO to form the law firm of Mitchell, Southern and Meade. He left the partnership in 1970 to begin solo practice which he continued until his retirement in 2014. He served as Municipal Judge for the City of Palmyra for 42 years. After retirement, he spent his later years in Louisville, KY, a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic parish.

Mr. Meade was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Palmyra where he served as a lector, lay minister, and he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was instrumental in saving some stained-glass windows from the former St. Elizabeth Hospital Chapel for the St. Joseph parish hall. He was a member of the Palmyra Kiwanis Club, serving a term as President and subsequently as Lieutenant Governor of the Missouri-Arkansas District. He served on the board of Landmarks, Inc., which helped preserve the 1858 jail in Palmyra.

He was a long-serving member of the Palmyra Bicentennial Library Board of Trustees, serving for six years as its president and helping with its move to a new building on Main Street. He was a voracious reader of mysteries and books on history. Gardening, especially growing flowers, was an enduring passion of his, and he became certified a Master Gardener.

He met his wife, Karen Ann Wenzel, when they were singing in the Mark Twain Men's Chorale and Lady's Ensemble. They married at Blessed Sacrament Church in Hannibal on June 30, 1973.

He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Karen Meade; two sisters, Mary Ann (Tom) Weaver, and Kay Thorpe; three brothers, Jon (Judy) Meade, Daniel (Sandy) Meade, and Robert (Joyce) Meade; three sons, Michael (Yudith) Meade, Mark (Amanda) Meade, and Fr. Pachomius Meade, OSB; and four grandchildren, Kennedy, Liam, Clara, and Brooke Meade.

Visitation will be at Lewis Brothers Funeral Chapel in Palmyra, MO, Friday, Nov. 6, from 5:30-7pm, with a closing Rosary. His son, Fr. Pachomius, will celebrate a funeral mass at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Palmyra, Saturday, November 7, at 10am. Afterward, he will be laid to rest at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Palmyra.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Thomas Meade's memory be made to Conception Abbey (conceptionabbey.org/support); the Franciscan Kitchen and Shelter House (franciscankitchen.org/donate); or the Marion County Public Library (212 S. Main St., Palmyra, MO 63461).

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