Thomas G. Meeker ’56

Tom died July 27, 2024, after a lengthy illness. He personified our class with his dedication, enthusiasm, creativity, and love of Princeton.

Following his father, Horace Meeker ’29, to Princeton, he came to us from Glen Ridge (N.J.) High School, where he played football; he continued on to the Tigers’ championship 150-pound team. He joined Cap and Gown and majored in art, writing his thesis on Leonardo’s “Last Supper.” Tom served in the Army Reserve and joined Smith-Meeker Engineering, which specialized in audio-visual systems. He earned an electrical engineering certificate at the Newark College of Engineering and served as the firm’s third-generation president.

In 1988, Tom married Joanne Thompson, who supported his manifold contributions to Old Nassau: Alumni Council chair on class affairs, on Reunions, class president, and secretary for 18 devoted years. Especially remembered with fondness are the tailgates that they fostered behind Cap for many years. Tom was equally committed to his Congregational Church and to the Crane’s Mill retirement community, where his humor with the drama club entertained all.

Tom is survived by Joanne; children Thomas Jr., Patricia and her husband Tom Healey, and Christopher and his wife Elizabeth; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and sister Beverly.