John Joseph Meehan
September 03, 1931 - April 08, 2016
- Share:
John Joseph Meehan
September 03, 1931 - April 08, 2016
Obituary
John Joseph Meehan, 84, passed away peacefully in his home on Friday, April 8, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. He was predeceased by his parents, James and Josephine Meehan (Cullen) and his brothers, Thomas and Conon.
John is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Elizabeth (Tina); seven children, Molly Anderson, Maureen Meehan, John J. Meehan Jr., James Patrick Meehan, Kevin Meehan, Sheila Nguyen and Brian Meehan; their spouses; 12 grandchildren; and sister, Sr. Maureen Meehan.
John was a decorated Korean War veteran (USMC) and former employee of Boeing. He was a longtime member of St Kilian’s Parish is Mission Viejo. He was a loving husband and father who devoted his life to supporting and caring for his family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation.
1 responses to John Joseph Meehan
Elizabeth Konda says:
April 13, 2016
My husband and I didn’t have enough money for a wedding photographer. During our ceremony, John quietly walked to the altar and took pictures of Dharma and I. His photos were beautiful and captured us taking our vows. I treasure these photos.
They are the best photos, too, of my husband and I, or at least my personal favorites, and we have been married 26 years!
Photography was strictly forbidden in the church. John quietly and respectfully disregarded this policy. He knew we didn’t have the money for a photographer, and he wanted us to have a proper wedding photo.
Initially, I was taken aback, even alarmed, as I saw him taking the photos. Was the pastor going to stop the ceremony to rebuke John. To be honest, at that moment I thought,
“What is he doing!?!
Didn’t Tina tell him about the policy?”
And for some reason, too, it crossed my mind,
“Why does John always have to break the rules?”
Well, iconoclasts shake things up! John had a healthy irreverence for unnecessary rules. And again, he didn’t disrupt the ceremony in any way. My thoughts at that moment reflect my own timidity, and my provincial state of mind. John traveled the world.
He knew how to do things. And he was a person who put people before ‘rules and regulations’!
At that time, John didn’t know my husband or myself well. I was Tina’s friend; I worked for Tina at Robinson’s.
But he knew we didn’t have money for a photographer, and he was determined that this couple would have a decent wedding photo.
During an emergency, or serious situation, most of us show strength, even courage. But our courage is very, very selective…or mine is at least! John is one of the few people I’ve ever met, who had the nerve to break convention. He took his courage wherever he went! No one else took photos in church. No doubt they were alarmed, some even appalled! (Though I’m sure, at the same time, everyone noted John’s height and broad shoulders, shock of white hair, and thought, “He’s good looking…I wish I were here with him! And he’s so bold and confidant, too!)
John never said to us, “I wanted you to have a decent wedding photo.”
Never.
He was so kind, so loving, so compassionate, that he wouldn’t say anything that in any way whatsoever may hurt our feelings, or make us feel bad or embarrassed.
And secretly, I was embarrassed that we didn’t have a photographer.
I cherish those photos. Whenever I look at them, I remember my wedding day, and I think of John, too…he’s very much a part of those photos: for me, he’s in the photo, too! And his actions make one of best stories about our wedding! The photos remind me of one of the most important days of our life, but they remind me of a wonderful person of quiet, kind, astute courage.
As another brilliant scientist like John once said,
“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” Albert Einstein