Gaston Meares Randolph

1922 - 2012

Gaston Meares Randolph

Alexandria, VA

Gaston Meares Randolph passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, November 10, 2012 in Alexandria following a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Meares was 90 on his birthday, October 19, 2012.

Born in Asheville, NC in 1922 to parents Laura Exum Randolph and Donald Wills Randolph, Meares grew up in Asheville with his mother and maternal grandparents after his father died young. Following graduation from Lee H. Edwards High School, Meares studied one year at Asheville-Biltmore College, before entering World War II, serving in the Army Air Corps and flying a P-51 Mustang fighter plane over Europe.

After returning from the war on military leave, on November 5, 1944, Meares married his high school sweetheart, Frances "Toddie" Goodson, who remained his greatest love and inspiration throughout life.

After serving until the end of the war in Europe stationed along the East Coast with Toddie, Meares enrolled in the School of Textiles at N.C. State and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Textiles and later a Master of Science in Textile Chemistry in 1955. Meares worked in the textile industry in Tennessee, New Jersey, Virginia, and South Carolina before retirement in 1985, when he and Toddie returned to Asheville.

Meares was a member of Kenilworth Presbyterian Church of Asheville.

Meares is survived by Toddie, son Gaston Meares Randolph, Jr and wife Nancy of Alexandria, Va.; son Jeffrey Bruce Randolph and wife Carole of Greenville, S.C.; sister Frances Meares Ormand of Brevard, N.C.; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother, Donald Wills Randolph, Jr.

The family thanks the staff at Sunrise of Alexandria where Meares was a resident for the past three years. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Kenilworth Presbyterian Church of Asheville or the Alzheimer's Association, http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp . A memorial service will be held at a later date.