Edward Lafayette Meadows

Edward Lafayette Meadows

Virginia Beach, Va.

Edward Lafayette Meadows, age 93, passed away Wednesday, September 15, 2010, in Virginia Beach, Va. A nine and a half year resident of Virginia, Mr. Meadows previously resided in the cities of Pico Rivera and Downey, California.

Born in Decatur on September 2, 1917, Mr. Meadows graduated from Decatur High School in 1936 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 14, 1936. He served in the Pacific during World War II, as well as the Korean War. He retired from the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Chief Ordnanceman with 20 years of active duty, followed by 10 years in the U.S. Naval Reserves. Mr. Meadows was a Lifetime Member of the Fleet Reserve Association, having joined in 1964. He worked another 31 years as an Industrial Safety Engineer with the firm, Boothe & Simpson, in the San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco areas until his final retirement at the age of 70. Mr. Meadows was a 3rd Degree Mason (1959) and a member of the Golden Trowel Norwalk Lodge No. 273 in Norwalk, California.

Mr. Meadows was preceded in death by his parents, Wallace H. Meadows Sr. and Mabelle Meadows, Decatur; and, by three wives, Antoinette F. Meadows (Enterprise), Doris R. Meadows (Downey, Calif.) and Naomi "Mickey" Fischer (Pico Rivera, Calif.). Mr. Meadows is survived by Sandra Meadows Robertson, Daughter, Montgomery; David Wallace Meadows Sr., Son, Norfolk, Va.; Michele Meadows (Darryl Drew) Williams, Daughter, Wetumpka; Gregory Scott Meadows, Nephew, Dexter, Mich.; James W. (Jane Britton) Meadows, Brother, Wilmore, Ky.; Bruce Pierce Robertson, Grandson, Commerce City, Colo.; David Wallace (Cynthia) Meadows Jr., Grandson, Hesperia, Calif.; Kelly Meadows (Jeff) Wyland, Granddaughter, Virginia Beach, Va.; Sister-in-Law, Mary Jean Meadows, Decatur; and, numerous other cousins and grand-nieces/nephews across the country.

A military burial at sea will take place in the future. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Meadows' memory to: (1) Fleet Reserve Association Education Foundation, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314-2754; or (2) Golden Trowel Norwalk Lodge No. 273, 12345 Rosecrans Avenue, Norwalk, CA 90650-5053.

This obituary was originally published in the Decatur Daily.