John Cassius "Jake" Meadows Jr.

John "Jake" Cassius Meadows, Jr. M.D. John "Jake" Cassius Meadows, Jr. was born May 24, 1922 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to John Cassius Meadows, Sr. PhD and Mary Emma Andrews Meadows. He grew up in Athens, Georgia. At 16 he entered the University of Georgia going on to the Medical College of Georgia. He had a lifetime love of the Georgia Bulldogs. Jake served in the medical corp. of the United States Army in World War II. While stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio he met and married Laura Maverick Gaines. After the Army he and Laura moved to Galveston, Texas where he taught at the University of Texas Medical School. He decided that he truly wanted to go into private practice so he, Laura and their two children, Laura and Johnny moved to San Antonio, Texas. He established a private practice that flourished for 25 years. Jake was boarded in Internal Medicine and widely published. He received many honors among them he was president of the Bexar County Medical Society, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the San Antonio Club of Internists. Jake was instrumental in building Methodist Hospital in San Antonio. He, and his partner Dr. Al Thaddeus, were the first two physicians to move into the Oak Hills Medical Building. In the old lobby of Methodist hospital there is a plaque thanking Jake for his dedicated hard work in making Methodist Hospital a reality. Methodist Hospital became the anchor for a world class medical center and Jake was so proud of the work he did. Jake was a charter member of the Argyle Club in San Antonio. He and Laura loved working at Night in Old San Antonio during Fiesta in San Antonio. Jake was greatly loved by family, friends, patience, and all dogs and he loved them back. He and Laura moved to Fredericksburg, Texas in 1971. He commuted to the medical school in San Antonio to teach for several years until Laura became so ill he retired and spent her last five years taking care of her. In December of 1990 at a Christmas party he met Cay. It was love at first sight for them both. They married in September of 1991. Jake and Cay had a wonderful time together. Jake was president of the Children's Discovery Center, the Fredericksburg Chorale, and a joyful member of the Fredericksburg Rotary Club. Jake chaired Rotary's Polio Plus drive and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship for his untiring efforts. Hill Country Memorial Hospital was a great favorite of Jake's and he worked very hard raising money for the hospital including chairing two hospital galas with Cay. Jake was always there to lend a hand to anyone in need... he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved sister Angie, his wife Laura, and his son Johnny. He is survived by his wife Cay; his sister, Elizabeth Stephens Hawkes and her husband Bill; his daughter, Laura Partain and her husband Jack; his granddaughters, Laura Partain Lawton and her husband Brett, Mary Emma Partain Civins and her husband Conor; three great-grandchildren, Annabelle Laura Lawton, Lilly Catherine Lawton, Jack Thomas Lawton, and Augustus Quinn Civins. He is, also, survived by his sister-in-law, French Anne Young and her husband Chris; his brother-in-law, Kenneth Charles Pruitt; and his nieces and nephew Lauren, Kendall, and Chase. Nieces Kristen Winter Pottinger and her husband Josh and Emily Bennett Young were special favorites of Jakes. He delighted in his great niece Elle Pottinger and his great nephew Johnny Pottinger. A memorial service will be held on Saturday November 21, 2009 at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, Texas at 2:00 p.m. with entombment in the Columbarium at St. Barnabas. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Hill Country Memorial Hospital, Hill Country Memorial Hospice, SPCA, or to the charity of one's choice. Expression of sympathy may be sent at www.schaetter.com.