Donald Francis Meacham

Donald “Don” Francis Meacham, 88, of Missoula, passed away quietly Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, in his home, surrounded by family.

Don was born July 15, 1929 in Toronto, Canada to Francis V. and Marjorie Meacham, the second of three children.

In 1952, Don joined the American Navy to see the world. It only got him as far as Corpus Christi, Texas.

In 1953, Don’s sister, Dorothy, introduced him to Wilma Williams of Fort Collins, Colorado. The two became avid penpals and finally met in the summer. A week after meeting her in person, Don proposed to Wilma and they were married on September 5th. In 2017, they celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.

After leaving the Navy, they moved to Denver, Colorado when Donald took a position with Griffin Wheel. While in Denver, they had four beautiful children – Glenn, Scott, Brett and Diane. When the Griffin Wheel office in Denver closed, Don put himself through college, getting a degree in business and mathematics. He then moved his family to Chicago to resume his position with Griffin.

After 25 years, Don retired in 1991 and he and Wilma moved to Montana to be closer to his children Scott and Glenn. They lived in a log cabin that they built themselves, with the help of their children and grandchildren. Together, they enjoyed all that Montana has to offer. Don kept active all his life — enjoying hunting, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. He and Wilma country danced with friends in Missoula and were enthusiastic bowlers, even bowling during the 2017 season. Ever a sports fan, Don held season tickets to the Montana Grizzlies and Missoula Osprey for many years. They also enjoyed ocean cruises, and together they took eight cruises through the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Americas.

Although he was known as a man of few words, he was a great storyteller and had an infectious laugh and friendly smile.

Don is preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Marjorie, his brother Conrad Meacham, and his sons Brett and Scott Meacham.

Don is survived by his children, Glenn Meacham of Missoula and Diane Trojahn of Berthoud, Colorado, his sister, Dotty, two daughters-in-law Mary and Sandi, and his five grandchildren — Cat, Jacob, Jessica, Caleb, and Ian.

There will be a memorial service in the chapel at the Sunset Funeral Home at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16. The family encourages everyone who knew Don or his family to come.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Cancer Research Institute or Hospice of Missoula.