Joe D. Meehan, 92, of Lincoln passed away February 20, 2018. Born July 29, 1925 in Lincoln, NE to John Charles and Alyce May Meehan. His grandparents were Fred Richard and Lou Lincoln of Omaha, and Francis and Jonathan Meehan. Joe attended Huntington Grade School and Jackson High School with a few moves in between, moving to Havelock in 1930, then to U Street and back to 3161 N. 40th St. Then he moved to Havelock, 6118 Kearney St. then to 65th and Ballard St., back to 3161 N. 40th St., and finally 3117 N. 39th St.
Joe lived with his grandparents where he did chores, milked goats and attended school graduating in the 9th grade. He went to North East a short time and had a job setting pins at Lincoln Bowling Alley making $3.00 a week. Joe started a school garden in 1936 and has had a garden until this day. He went to work at the Lincoln Diary for Jake and Harry Breslow where he drove his dad’s 1932 Chevy, then his 1937 Mack pickup truck. He bought a 1927 Chevy for $17.50 and sold the tires for $125.00. He also raised chickens and hogs until he was 18 in 1943.
That November he was drafted into the Army at Fort Crook Omaha, then went to Fort Leavenworth, then to Aberdeen Proving Grounds Maryland for basic, then to Co K Automotive School in Aberdeen, then to Camp Pickette, VA for six weeks for combat training with a stopover at RP Hill. Then back to Aberdeen, then home for 14 days, then to Camp Beale, California, then to Fort Lawton, WA. Later, he was sent to 13th Replacement Dept., then to Fort Kamehameha, Hawaii, then to Black Point, Hawaii. On February29, 1946, Joe was on his way home, then off to Camp Stoneman, CA, ending in Fort Logan, CO after being discharged on March 13, 1946. Joe returned home on March 26, 1946 and joined the VFW 1450 and the American Legion. He went overseas on the USS Grant and came home on the USS Talladega APA 208.
Later, he went to work at Cushman Motor Works. Soon after they went on strike, Joe quit and went on 52-20 Club. He went back to Cushman for almost a year, selling used cars and motorcycles until 1970. He owned a motorcycle shop and sold new German motorcycles.
He then went to work at Army Reserves on N. 33rd St. In between he also bought properties, owning over eight houses and fifty-two pieces of property in 1951. He went to work at the Post Office in 1955 until March 4, 1975 where he was put on disability and retired. He started the WWII Library and Museum in 1978. He did over 250 WWII programs for over two million people in over 250 newspapers, over 30 times on TV interviews all over 50 states and 52 foreign countries. Ten years in seven different theatres all over the country.
Family members include his daughter Frances (Anthony) Reddick; grandchildren Shane (Paige) Noble, Destiny Maxwell, Victoria (John) Westling, and Amanda Noble; seven great-grandchildren; sisters, Betty Gostomski and Shirley (Keith) Hatfield; brother, Robert Meehan; sister-in-law, Lisha Meehan; and his significant other Rose McCown and her children Norma Shullaw and Karen MaCdonald.
Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Wednesday (2-28-18) Roper and Sons Chapel, 4300 ‘O’ St, with Pastor Kerry O’Bryant officiating.
2:00 p.m. burial in the Omaha National Cemetery, Omaha, NE.
Memorials to: The Joe Meehan United Methodist Men’s 100 Club Scholarship Fund or to CHI Hospice.
Visitation: From 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., prior to service, on Wednesday, (2-28-18) at the funeral home.