DR. JOHN J. MEADE

MEADE, Dr. John J. Of Winchester, MA and formerly of Medford, MA, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on April 9, 2019, at the age of 87.

John is survived by his beloved wife of more than 60 years, Sue Williams Meade of Winchester, his daughter, Melissa Suvak (David) of Winchester, MA, his son, Stephen Meade (Kelly) of Somerville, MA, and his son, John Meade of Raymond, ME. He leaves five grandchildren, Kim Suvak Warden (John), Kerry Suvak, James Suvak, Eva Meade, and Thomas Meade, all of whom he delighted in spending time with and watching grow. He is also survived by his sister, Margaret McCluskey and many nieces and nephews, and is predeceased by his sisters, Patricia Kent and Eleanor Harmon.

John was born to parents John and Margaret Riley Meade in 1932, and raised in Medford alongside his three older sisters. His father died when John was thirteen years old, and he and his sisters worked from then on to help their mother maintain the household. He went to Boston College High School and graduated in 1950. He attended Tufts University and graduated in an accelerated program in 1952. He played Varsity Hockey at Tufts, and one of his few regrets was not getting to use his additional two years of eligibility.

John Meade went on to Tufts School of Dental Medicine in 1952, and upon graduation in 1956 he joined the United States Navy as an Officer in the Dental Corps. He was stationed in Quonset Point, RI, and traveled the world from there. After leaving the service, he established his dental practice in his childhood home in Medford, while also helping to care for his mother who lived upstairs until her passing. He was a longtime resident of Medford, and practiced dentistry there for over 60 years, although the family eventually moved to Winchester. He stayed actively involved at Tufts School of Dental Medicine throughout his life, including teaching for 40 years in both the clinic and the classroom, and designing and introducing a formal ethics course to the school's curriculum. Dr. Meade's wife, Sue, established a scholarship in his name to help students from the greater Medford area attend Tufts School of Dental Medicine.

John Meade was a generous person who gave of his time, skills and resources significantly. One area he dedicated his efforts to was improving the healthcare of the people of Haiti. He traveled to Haiti semi-annually for 50 years, offering direct pro bono care to the populace, as well as assisting in building and supplying Dental Clinics during his trips. He supported numerous philanthropies throughout his lifetime dedicated to funding these clinics, as well as philanthropies focused on improving the overall healthcare of the people of Haiti.

John enjoyed athletics and was ready to play any game available. He skied, played hockey, tennis, and golf well into his eighties. He traveled North America playing hockey on several senior teams, skied all over the world with different groups, and played in any tennis tournament that he could find. His favorite place to play and ?relax' was at Little Sebago Lake in Maine, where he and his friends built a close community. He had a knack for maintaining lifelong friendships, and always recruited and encouraged family and friends to both play in the games and to socialize afterward, regardless of people's skills in either arena. Most agree that he was skilled in all of it.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in John's memory to: The John J. Meade Scholarship Fund, Tufts School of Dental Medicine, Office of Development, One Kneeland Street, Floor 7, Boston, MA 02111. Family and friends are invited to Visiting Hours on April 14, from 2:00-5:00 at Lane Funeral Home, 760 Main Street, (Rte 38), WINCHESTER, MA. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Raphael Church, 512 High Street, Medford, MA, at 11:00am, on April 15. Please go directly to church there will be no Funeral Procession from the Funeral Home.For online condolences please visit www.lanefuneral.com Lane Funeral Home Winchester

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