MONROE John Cowan Meacham, a lifelong resident of Monroe County, died Sept. 3, 2008, at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Little Rock.
He was born Aug. 6, 1918, in Monroe to P.W. and Virginia Meacham. He was a retired farmer and former World War II POW. He was a tail gunner on a B-17 bomber with the 100th Bomb Group flying missions over Europe from a base in England when his plane was shot down over Czechoslavakia Sept. 11, 1944. He was captured and placed in a POW camp. He was liberated by the British in May of 1945. After being discharged from the Air Force, he returned to Monroe to farm.
In July 1957, he was named the first president of the Arkansas Chess Association. He had learned to play chess in the POW camp with playing pieces carved out of Red Cross soap. He served as a school board member in both Clarendon and Holly Grove School Systems. He also served as a board member for Production Credit Association. He was an avid golfer and a wonderful and talented self-taught artist.
He instilled in his children and grandchildren a great love for art. His rich, full life is evident in the deep vibrant colors he used in his paintings.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Matthew and Kirby Meacham; and a son, John Cowan Jr.
Survivors are his wife of 44 years, Jean Meacham; children Judy Tyler and husband, Milton, of San Angelo, Texas, Mary Maxey and husband, Rick, of Sandia, Texas, Ruth Taylor and husband, Larry, of Brinkley, Acey Swearingen and wife, Lee, of Scott, Becky Swearingen of Longview, Texas, and Betsy Shanan and husband, Butch, of Colt; two sisters, Louise Melton and husband, Gene, of North Little Rock, and Barbara Jarvis of Little Rock; a brother, Wiley Meacham of Brinkley; 17 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.
Due to health issues, a private family memorial was held at the Meacham home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Ex-prisoners of War National Organization, 3201 East Pioneer Parkway #40, Arlington, TX 76010, 817-649-2979, or at their website www.axpow.org; the American Cancer Society, 501-664-3480 or at their website www.cancer.org; the Central Delta Depot Museum, 100 West Cypress, Brinkley, AR 72021; or the Museum for Air Battle over the Ore Mountains Sept. 11, 1944, c/o Jan Zdiarsky, 696 Albert E. Trommer, Kovarska, Czech Republic 43186, or at their website www.museum119.cz.
