Plan for the Future
James P. Meagher (Age 78) died suddenly on Monday June 10 en route to his home in Chatham, New Jersey from Washington, D.C.
Jim was a lifelong newspaperman. Beginning at the age of 15 in his hometown of Rock Island, Illinois, he covered his high school sports for the Argus newspaper. He also reported local news during summer vacations through high school and college. After being graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1957, Jim served as a Public Information Officer for the US Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and then joined the Chicago Tribune as an editor. From its establishment in1961 until its closing in 1977, Jim was an editor at the weekly Dow Jones Publication The National Observer headquartered in suburban Washington. Next it was the weekly Dow Jones business publication Barron’s where Jim served as managing editor, editor in chief and in executive managerial roles from the mid-nineties until the middle of the last decade. After his retirement from Dow Jones and through last week, Jim still contributed his editorial talents to Barron’s as a consultant every week in preparing the paper for its Saturday publication.
In his retirement, in addition to keeping his hand in the news business, Jim traveled extensively and actively served his parish on committees and as a lector.
James Proctor Meagher was born June 2, 1935, in Rock Island, Illinois, to Edmund Joseph Meagher and Pauline (nee Proctor). In 1959, he married Marie Lyman of Crete, Illinois, a Saint Mary’s Notre Dame alumna. They lived in Chicago for two years before living in the Maryland suburbs from 1961 until 1978, when they moved to Chatham, New Jersey.
His wife Marie died in January 2012. He is survived by his daughter Kate Raffa (Angelo) of Pearl River, New York, his son Chris (Susan) of Nutley, New Jersey, two granddaughters, Grace Marie Raffa and Ava Clare Raffa, a grandson Andrew James Meagher and a brother Paul (Jackie) of Capitol Hill. A sister, Ann Vander Vennet of Wilmette, Illinois died in 2009.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 am on Monday, June 17, at St. Patrick Church, Washington Ave., Chatham, NJ. Friends may visit on Sunday June 16, from 3-5 pm & 7-9 pm at Wm. A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home, 345 Main St., Chatham, NJ.