Obituary of Joseph Xavier Meehan, Jr.

Joseph Xavier Meehan, Jr., age 79, of Pompton Plains, passed away on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 in New York City.  Born March 5, 1944, in Orange, NJ to the late Joseph Xavier and Helen (nee: DePaul) Meehan.  Joe is survived by his beloved wife of 47 years Diane (nee: Villavecchia), his children Meghan Whalen (nee: Meehan) and Joseph Xavier Meehan, III, his wonderful children-in-law James Charles Whalen and Anna Simonsen-Meehan, his four amazing grandsons Alrik Xavier Meehan, James Xavier Whalen, Eskil Joseph Meehan and Cooper Patrick Whalen, his brother Daniel (June) Meehan, his brother-in-laws Alfred (Lenore) Villavecchia and Robert Lockwood, as well as numerous nieces and nephews that he loved.  

Joe is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Helen Meehan, and sisters, Patricia Connell (nee: Meehan), Joan Lockwood (nee: Meehan) and Grace Claire Meehan.  

Joe graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark NJ, received his bachelors from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA, and his MBA from Seton Hall University.  He started his career at IBM in NYC, and after an early retirement and independent consulting, he continued a long career with the New Canaan Board of Education in CT.  He had proudly served his country during the Vietnam War as a Lieutenant in the US Army. 

Joe was very dedicated to his family, community and faith and was very involved in his parish Holy Spirit in Stamford CT, and upon relocating to NJ, he and Diane became involved in Madanna Church in Fort Lee, NJ.  He loved all things college and high school sports (Go BC and SHU) and enjoyed nothing more than spending time watching his grandsons be it watching their endless sports and activities, or building complex train sets and puzzles with them.

Joe was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2006, a rare and incurable lung disease. After a successful lung transplant through Columbia University Medical Center at NY-Presbyterian in 2009, Joe was blessed with another almost 15 years of making meaningful memories with his family. They are eternally grateful for this time together and the miracle workers on the lung transplant team.

The family will receive their friends on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 from 4-8pm at the Frank A. Patti and Kenneth Mikatarian Funeral Home 327 Main Street “opposite the Fort Lee Library”.  The funeral will leave Thursday, January 11, 2024  at 10:30 AM for the celebration of his funeral mass in Madonna  R.C. Church On The Hill at 11:00 AM.   For condolences, directions, or information www.frankpatti.com or call (201) 944-0100.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to in Joe’s name to:

The Trustees of Columbia University Lung Transplant Program

Checks should be made out to: The Trustees of Columbia University

In the memo line, please indicate: Lung Transplant Program, in memory of Joseph X Meehan, Jr

Mail to:

Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Office of Development

Attn: Jamie Montgomery

516 W. 168^th Street, Floor 3

New York, NY 10032

Online donations can be made using the following link: https://medicine.givenow.columbia.edu/?alloc=21920#

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

Gifts should be dedicated in memory of Joseph X Meehan, Jr

Online donations can be made using the following link: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/pulfibfou/