Thomas Alan Meador of Smithfield went to be with the Lord Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018. Thomas (Tom) was born Dec. 21, 1933 in Charleston, W.V. to Lorraine Meador and Catherine Spencer Slate. However, he was later raised in Newport News by his mother and stepfather, Pelham G. Slate, and graduated from Warwick High School in 1951. He attended The College of William and Mary, a 1955 graduate. 

Tom served in the U.S. Army Reserves for the first nine years of his 38-year career with Newport News Shipbuilding. He also served his community on the Smithfield Library Board and the Isle of Wight Ruritan Club. 

Tom and his wife, Blair, enjoyed the Smithfield German Club and even performed in several productions at the Smithfield Little Theatre.  After retiring, Tom worked for the Isle of Wight Tourism Bureau and the Barlow & Riddick law firm. Tom was a well-respected member of Trinity United Methodist Church where he provided leadership on several boards and was a conference delegate. He loved and collected trains since childhood.  Though Tom and Blair were avid readers and travelers, to them there was nothing better than spending time at their Outer Banks beach cottage with family and friends, and drinking coffee on the back porch enjoying the breezes and sunshine.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Blair Roper Meador; daughter, Jennifer Lynn Meador Hicks ( Kevin); son, Jeffrey Alan Meador; and daughter, Anne Rose Wright ( Mark).  He has many grandchildren — Laura, Kevin Jr. (Kristen), Elise and Joel Hicks, Nick Clark, Alexandra and Alyssa Rose and Corey and Alicia Wright, as well as great-grandchildren. Tom is also survived by his sister, Pamela Slate Liggett; and her three daughters, Nicole O’Brien (Evans), Christy Sauer (Greg) and Susan Griswold (Red) and their children.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, Aug. 10, 11 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Smithfield.  A reception immediately following the service will be in the Family Life Center.  The family suggests memorial contributions to be made to Trinity United Methodist Church in Newport News, the church where he and his family grew up, or the Isle of Wight Christian Outreach Program in Smithfield.