Meade, Eugene Leo 'Chick'

Eugene Leo “Chick “ Meade

Eugene Leo “Chick“ Meade, 84, passed away Aug. 17, 2012, surrounded by his children.Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 3000 12th Ave., Coralville, with Father Walter Helms officiating. Following lunch a family burial service will be held at St. Joseph's Cemetery. The visitation and wake will be Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City, where a rosary will be recited at 4p.m. An Irish celebration of Chick's life will be held Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. following the visitation.

Memorials may be made to The Cosgrove Institute, 2009 400th St. SW, Oxford, IA 52322 or Friends of St. Bridget's Church of Nolan Settlement, Morse, IA, c/o Mike and Mary Marie O'Donnell, 24 Barrington Pl., Iowa City, IA 52245.

Friends are encouraged to share memories of Chick by emailing them to dlmerickson@yahoo.com.

An Irishman through and through, Chick cherished his Irish heritage and his ancestral roots in the farming communities of Cosgrove, Morse and Nolan Settlement.Chick loved the people and families of Johnson County and within minutes of meeting a new friend, he would determine how he was related to them.He was a proud and loyal Hawkeye fan and never missed a home game. To Chick, “Irish-Catholic-Democrat” was all one word and it, along with his Irish humor, was his essence.

Born Oct. 27, 1928, in the southeast upstairs bedroom of the home place in Cosgrove, Iowa, Chick was the son of Leo Francis and Catherine Irene (Maher) Meade, and was the oldest of four siblings. He attended Cosgrove School, where he graduated in a class of six in 1945.

Enrolled at the University of Iowa, Chick drove a Model A to attend classes his first semester. In January 1946, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as a platoon leader in charge of basic training at Fort Polk, La. Returning to the University of Iowa as a business major, he was a proud and active member of ATO Fraternity, where he made lifelong friends and memories.

While at the University of Iowa, he met his match in Patricia Ann South of Perry, Iowa.On Feb. 15, 1950, they were married at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, raised five children and shared 50 years of life together.

Chick operated his family farm from 1950 to 1955. In 1955 he co-founded Me-Jon, Inc., a liquid fertilizer manufacturer and distributor, and served as its president and CEO.By 1965, Me-Jon had eight manufacturing and distribution centers throughout Iowa and was purchased by Terra Chemical, a subsidiary of Standard Oil. During this period, Chick was also vice president of the National Fertilizer Solutions Association and served on its board of directors.

Chick, Pat and family moved in December 1963 to his current residence on Dubuque Street in Iowa City, where he started and managed Iowa Land Corporation, afarmland and residential Real Estate company.Additionally, he started several real estate investment companies. Chick was named Iowa Farm and Land Broker of the year in 1984 and was a former president of the Iowa Farm and Land Brokers Association.

Chick continued to invest in and manage farmland throughout his life as well as having a lifelong love of raising and showing black angus cattle and quarter horses. Chick was also a founder of the National Murray Grey Cattle Association and was on the board of directors for the Johnson County American Heart Association.

Chick was a long-standing member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church.

Barbara Strang has been Chick's companion and constant friend. She, along with Bob Hesseltine, Jennie Aaberg, and Soo (Terry) Yu were Chick's support and extended family in these recent years. Their care, love and support will always be treasured.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Pat) Ann South Meade;sister, Marilyn (Bede) Lenz; and brother, Lawrence (Joe) Meade.

He is survived by his sister, Mary Dolores (Lolly) McDonald; and his five children, Gary Meade, Camela Meade, Debra (Tom) Erickson, Dan (Chris) Meade, Justin Meade (fiancee, Letty Carroll); his 12 grandchildren, Tanner Meade, Molly (Josh) Pedersen, Katie (Chris) Sawin, Travis (Staci) Meade, Garett (Tracy) Sleichter, Ryan Sleichter, Caitlin (Peter) Keseric,Chase, Cole and Luke Erickson, David and Jesse Meade; and five great-grandchildren, Skylar Yeggy and Caleb Pedersen, Sienna and William Sleichter and Brynlee Sawin.

Our very special thanks to Dr. Peter Snyder and Dr. Richard LeBlond at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and all the staff at the Cardiovascular ICU for giving Chick exceptional care.

Online condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com

Published Aug. 21, 2012 in The Gazette