SUPPLY — Richard Alexander Meek, 69, a longtime teacher at West Brunswick High School died Friday, July 19, 2019, at Autumn Care Nursing Center following complications due to multiple sclerosis.
Born Oct. 17, 1949, in Richmond, Virginia, Richard was the beloved youngest son of Alice G. Meek of Pinehurst and the late retired U.S. Army Col. Charles A. Meek. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by a niece, Shannon Meek.
Richard taught for 25 years in the Brunswick County Schools, primarily at West Brunswick High School, Shallotte. A man who deeply enjoyed working with his hands, Richard was a proud vocational education teacher. Starting off his career as a welding teacher, Richard later added a course for his vocational students in Principals of Technology.
Passionate about teaching and sharing his knowledge with his students, Richard was always happy to run into former students around town. An active, long-standing member of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), Richard served as the NCAE representative for West Brunswick High School. He was also past-president of the Brunswick County Retired Teachers Association.
Richard graduated from Western Kentucky University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Psychology. He earned a Master of Arts at Western Carolina University and was a Ph.D. candidate in Vocational Education at Clemson University (Go Tigers!) In addition to teaching, Richard loved being on the water, watching his sports teams, listening to music and spending time with his family and friends.
He will be dearly missed by his surviving family members, which, in addition to his mother, Alice, include his daughter, Amy Meek (Philip Olinger); granddaughter, Twyla Olinger, of Chapel Hill; brother, Charles Meek of Supply; sister, Sherry Smith (Bill) of Gastonia; two nieces, Taylor and Cameron; and a multitude of good friends.
A celebration of Richard’s life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, July 27, at the Lou Ellen White Memorial Chapel, White Funeral and Cremation Service, 3660 Express Drive, Shallotte.
Richard’s family requests, in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to the Brunswick County Retired School Personnel Scholarship Fund (BCRSP). The BCRSP scholarship is designed to benefit Brunswick County high school seniors pursuing a program of studies in teaching or current school employees continuing their education. Donations may be sent to Kathleen Thompson, Treasurer of BCRSP, 114 NE 17th Street, Oak Island, NC 28465; or Jeanette Mintz, President, 3314 Big Neck Road, Ash, NC 28420.
Share online condolences with the family at White Funeral and Cremation Service.
