Visitation:
Service: Funeral
Services will be held at a date and time to be announced. May 10, 2020,
defeated by COVID-19;
beloved husband of
the late Gladys (nee
Bryce) Meacham; loving
father of David
(Kathleen) Meacham
and Timothy (Diane) Meacham; dearest
grandfather of Joseph (Bethany), Jeffrey
(Nancy), Alicia and Jillian Meacham;
great-grandfather of Grace, Jacob,
Michael and Mitchell Meacham; also
survived by nieces and nephews.
Funeral
Services will be held at a date
and time to be announced. Arrangements
by the DIETRICH FUNERAL HOME
INC. Online condolences may be shared at
www.thedietrichfuneralhome.com Harold Meacham: ‘He loved his country, city and family’

His children and grandchildren were pulling for Harold L. Meacham to mark his 100th birthday in a year and a half, but he didn’t make it.

His death notice in The Buffalo News said he was "defeated by Covid-19."

It may have been the only thing that could have defeated him.

The longtime Kensington-Bailey resident, World War II veteran and Mason was 98. He would motor outside his assisted living apartment on the Weinberg Campus once or twice a day on his electric cart to smoke a cigarette, said his son, David.

"He was trying to be as careful as he could. I’m not sure where he got it," David Meacham said of the virus.

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Mr. Meacham fell May 1, and was taken to Kenmore Mercy Hospital for a couple days. He was about to be released, when a test for the virus came back positive, so he went to St. Joseph Post-Acute Care Center in Orchard Park instead.

Harold L. Meacham holds the trophy he received for taking part in a documentary about the Kensington-Bailey neighborhood. (Courtesy David Meacham)

"He kept the nurses and staff on their toes out there," his son said.

A tool maker who later worked for 30 years for Niagara Mohawk, the grandfather of four and great-grandfather of four served on a Navy minesweeper during World War II. He and his wife, Gladys, were married for 65 years before she died four years ago.

When visitors were barred from the Weinberg Campus because of the pandemic, David Meacham said he talked to his father two to three times a day to keep in touch. One day his father was craving the orange chocolate he loved, and he asked David to bring some to the campus, and to leave it in the salt bucket outside for Mr. Meacham to pick up.

"That was the hard part, not being able to see him," David Meacham said.

He and his brother, Timothy, did see their father one more time on May 9, the day before he died at St. Joseph. They donned personal protection gear, and went into his room.

"He said, ‘I’m glad you guys are here,’" David Meacham said. "The last thing I said to him was ‘Dad, I love you.’ "

Harold Meacham lived in the house he was born in for more than 90 years, and he was excited to be part of "Our Stories, Our Neighborhood," a documentary about Kensington-Bailey produced a couple of years ago. He was recognized at City Hall for his part, and given a certificate and Buffalo trophy. He was proud of being in the Navy, and liked to go to Ted’s for a hot dog with his son and great-granddaughter.

"He loved his country, he loved his city, he loved his family," David Meacham said.