Meridith Minear (1940-2024)

WELD – Meridith Welch Minear died peacefully on February 18th, 2024 at the Androscoggin Hospice House in Auburn, Maine.

Born on August 6th, 1940 in Farmington, Maine, Meridith was the oldest child of Harold and Louise Merchant Welch.

She was raised in East Wilton and spent summers at her grandmother Marion Bailey Welch’s camp on the east side of Webb Lake in Weld. She was educated at the East Wilton Grammar School and was graduated from the Wilton Academy in 1958. Meridith was a gifted athlete, excelling in both field hockey and basketball.

Under the guidance of her uncle, Dan Webb, Meridith was involved in 4-H and Baby Beef competitions during her teenage years. After high school graduation, she served in the US Air Force from 1958 to 1961, stationed primarily at Hamilton Air Force Base in California.

After meeting on the agricultural fair circuit, she married Richard J. Minear in Wilton on May 12th, 1961. They spent their early married life in Skowhegan, Ohio, and Illinois. Meridith and Dick continued to be involved in farming until their move back to Wilton in 1966. Three years later, she was graduated from Farmington State Teachers College (now UMF) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education.

Meridith taught Special Education in Mexico and Farmington schools for over thirty years, retiring in 2000. In addition to her educational duties, she served as a guiding mentor for many practicum teachers and is remembered fondly by students, parents, and her school community.

In 1973, Dick, Meridith, and their growing family moved to Weld full-time after converting her grandmother’s camp into what has become the family’s year-round home for the last 50 years.

In Weld, Meridith was a director of the Weld Recreation Organization, a driving force behind the construction of the town tennis courts, a member of the Weld Planning Board, a charter and lifetime member of the Weld Historical Society, and a founding director of the Webb Lake Association. She was also the primary organizer of the Mountain View Cemetery’s annual Beano fundraiser. She and Dick were recognized for their decades of community service with the Weld Town Report dedication in 2003.

Meridith was a world traveler, enjoying trips to the Galápagos Islands, Ireland, England, Belgium, the Netherlands, and China with extensive visits to Maho Bay, (USVI) and Russia, as well as a teaching sabbatical in Iceland. She believed that experiences were the best gift in life and relished her many journeys which included friends and family members who still speak of the lessons learned alongside her on these adventures.

After retiring, Meridith spent several years at her winter home in Venice, Florida. She enjoyed the warm weather and her daily pool swims as much as she loved her lakeside mountain views. At home in Weld, she was an avid and gifted gardener who continued to maintain summer vegetable and flower gardens. She spent many a sunny day on the deck, observing her carefully tended gardens and the birds that flocked to her numerous feeders. For the past twenty years, she created cut-paper cards and artwork, which she primarily gifted to those who she knew would appreciate them most.

Excerpt from Gram’s Camp, written by Meridith for college in 1966.

This spring Gram was very sick with cancer. One beautiful June morning, she awoke and announced, “Meridith, I’m going to camp today even if you have to carry me on a board.” It was a tremendous effort but Gram put every ounce of her determination and remaining strength into it. We went to camp. Her fondest wish of a few beautiful days there was realized. She laid on the porch and took in the beautiful views of the mountains and the lake in its peaceful early morning moods. She watched the birds in the trees and observed that Mother Robin had come back to the same home again this year. She watched my children racing merrily up and down the walk.

I thought about the trust that Gram had in me and how much she had taught me about the appreciation of nature’s gifts. I wondered if I could meet the challenge and do as well by my children.

Meridith truly loved having her family spend time with her at the lake and, although we mourn her passing, it is with gratitude that we realize that she more than met the challenge she set for herself in 1966.

Meridith will be dearly missed by her husband Richard of Weld, as well as her son Sean Minear of Weld; daughter Kelly Scott (Michael) of Weld, children Jessie and Bailey; daughter Erin Farnham (Timothy) of North Yarmouth, children Corrigan and Nathan; son Brendan Minear (Kara Ibarguen) of Franklin, children Maya and Holly; daughter Kyle Minear (Erik Verdeyen) of New Sharon, children Finnegan, Nala, and Nova. Meridith leaves a brother, Keith Welch (Janalee) of Belfast.

Meridith appreciated both the writing and the receiving of a thoughtful handwritten note. Her well-loved address book was a weighty document that attests to the many extended family and friends that she cherished.

Meridith’s family invites you to attend a celebration of her life on Saturday, February 24 at 1:00 in the afternoon at the Weld Town Hall. There will be an interment at Mountain View Cemetery in the Spring.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Wilton Scholarship Foundation in Memory of Meridith Minear PO Box 337 Wilton, Maine 04294.

Friends and family are invited to share memories with the family at www.meaderandson.com.