Margaret W Meador

Margaret “Peggy”  Meador

Our Mom, Margaret “Peggy”  Wells Meador passed away on July 29, 2020 after  a life well lived.

She was born in Bristol (the Tennessee side) on March 14, 1928 to Frank Simpson Wells and Frances Macon. She grew up as a tomboy, attending high school at Virginia Intermont and college at Westhampton College of  the University of Richmond. She graduated from RPI (now the Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth University) as a Physical Therapist. In  Richmond, she met her future husband, Raymond B. Meador, Sr. They were part of a large group of friends, and as all the friends eventually married, they found themselves paired up as     the shortest friends of the group. After so many trips down the aisle together in other people’s weddings, it seemed inevitable that they too would make that trip at the head of the procession one day. They married in Richmond on March 3, 1956, and were happily married for 52 years, until Dad’s death in 2008. Mom missed him every day thereafter. After moving to   Bradenton in 1960, Mom was an active member of the community, embracing service at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, her professional duties as a physical therapist, and her time on the school board, the PTA, and other community organizations. Later in life, when Mom and Dad moved to Westminster Manor to retire, she was active on the Residents Council there. That nutshell description only barely describes our Mom. She had a legendary whistle that was quite amazing. It was an old-­â€school neighborhood alert that could be heard blocks away from our house. The volume level was astounding coming out of such a petite person, and would deafen unwitting bystanders. She was the queen of the bad pun. Mom’s cooking was suspect: her potluck dish was “green stuff” (if you ever had it, you know...). She drove with abandon. Dad likely saved her life many times over by relegating her to a bright blue 1965 VW Beetle with manual transmission whose speed could not exceed 45 mph. For decades, the car was iconic around town and we all could tell Mom’s mood by the gusto with which she gunned the Beetle’s engine. Dad finally took pity on the exhausted Beetle, selling it to an older gentleman who promised only to take it fishing on the weekends.

Both Mom and Dad loved to sing, but while Dad sang along to opera in the privacy of his garage. Mom was on the front row singing alto in the church choir until late in life. Mom and Dad especially loved to travel together with two of  their many dear friends, Don and Linda Azbell. After Dad could no longer travel, Mom branched out, taking several cruises. She was an extrovert, into everything, and beloved by all.

We will miss her, but everyone should be blessed with a life as rich, long and happy as hers was, full of friends and family who loved her.

Mom is predeceased by her parents, her brother Frank Wells, and her daughter-­â€in-­â€law, Patti Meador.

She is survived by her children Raymond B. Meador Jr., Robin Meador-­â€Woodruff (Jim) and her grandchildren Adam Meador (Becky), Andy Meador and Aidan Meador-­â€Woodruff.

We  would like to thank the community and staff  of Westminster Manor, particularly those within the Assisted Living service, who made Mom’s life so much better for the last several years. We’d also like to thank her primary caregivers at Tidewell Hospice, Dannie West and Glorida Presley, who made Mom’s last year so much easier, especially during quarantine. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. Should you wish to commemorate our Mom, donations may be made in her memory to Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, Tidewell Hospice, or the charity of your choice.