SHREWSBURY_____Dr. John A. Meegan, 89, of Shrewsbury, formerly of Worcester, died Wednesday December 11, in St. Vincent Hospital at Worcester Medical Center, 20 Worcester Center Boulevard.His wife of 56 years, Muriel T. (Manning) Meegan died in 1998.
He leaves two daughters, Dr. Mary-Ellen Meegan and Jane A. Meegan both of Shrewsbury; a son, Dr. James M. Meegan of Woodbine, Maryland; three grandchildren, two nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews and cousins. He was born and raised in Worcester, son of Michael J. and Catherine (Roche) Meegan and had lived in Shrewsbury for 36 years.
Dr. Meegan retired as Chairperson of the Science Department of the Framingham School system where he worked for 30 years. Previously, he was a teacher and coach for the Grafton School system, where he coached the basketball team to two state championships. He was also a professor of biochemistry and microbiology for 15 years at St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing.
Dr. Meegan was a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross. He earned a master's degree at Fitchburg State College and his doctorate at Suffolk University. During his career he received nine National Science Foundation grants for study and research at colleges and universities throughout the United States. These include Harvard, UCLA, Stanford, the University of Colorado, the Nuclear Research Center in Oak Ridge, Tennesse, the University of Montana and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
He was always interested in and involved in competitive sports. He was a referee for high school and college football and basketball games in Massachusetts for 30 years. He held a variety of offices in the Holy Cross Varsity Club. He was also a member of Our Lady's Sodality at Holy Cross College.
Dr. Meegan was an early originator of the concept of large science fairs, which he organized for the Framingham School system. Each year the school award winners advanced to the regional, state, and the National Science Fair where some received top awards and college scholarships. He was one of the original members of the Boston Globe State Science Fair Committee and helped organize the state science fair for many years. A book award is given in his name each year to a science scholar at Framingham High School. He helped organize and run the Central Massachusetts Science Fair for many years. He judged science fairs throughout New England.He was a member of a number of professional scientific and educational organizations and he founded and was the first president of the Massachusetts Association of Science Department Chairpersons.
The funeral will be held on Saturday December 14 from Dirsa-Morin Funeral Home, 298 Grafton St., Worcester with a Concelebrated Mass at 11:00 a.m. in Blessed Sacrament Church, 555 Pleasant St., Worcester. Burial will be in St. Marys Cemetery, Northampton. A calling hour will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday December 14 in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Notre Dame Long Term Care Center, 559 Plantation St., Worcester, 01605.