Eugenia Meade, 93, store executive

Eugenia Burke Meade, 93, of Haddonfield, who retired in 1980 as corporate pension director and senior counselor for John Wanamaker, died Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Haddonfield home of her daughter, Mary Jo Gallagher.

After she retired from the department store chain, Mrs. Meade was a teacher of weekly Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes for youngsters who do not attend Catholic schools.

The classes were at from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s at Christ the King Regional School in Haddonfield, where she was also a substitute teacher and a playground moderator.

"Jean was the playground grandmother for 20 years, and my five children all went to Christ the King, and they all were beneficiaries of her love," a friend, Ann Kearney, said.

"She was the grandmother figure that a lot of kids did not have," Kearney said, "because families are spread out these days."

Mrs. Meade "loved them, hugged them, but set them straight when they needed it," she said.

Born in Pittston, between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, Mrs. Meade graduated third in her class of 1938 at St. John's High School there. Two years later, she graduated from its business school.

"She wanted to go to Marywood College," her daughter said, but she couldn't because during the Depression, "the family lost all their money."

In the early 1980s, after she had retired, she studied business for two years at Gwynedd-Mercy College.

Her business career began in 1940 at the Manhattan headquarters of Ohrbach's, the apparel store chain.

Before leaving in 1946, she had become personnel assistant to the owner, her daughter said.

During World War II, "the store would close at 5 o'clock, she would have dinner," and then go to a military installation in the city to help men disabled by combat.

"She would write letters" for them, for instance, or read letters for those with impaired vision. "That was her contribution to the war effort."

Mrs. Meade returned to Pittston and worked for a Wilkes-Barre department store until 1949.

She was maid of honor for her best friend from high school and at the wedding met her future husband, James J., the groom's best man.

They moved to Philadelphia in 1952 and the next year she started her career at Wanamakers, where, in the 1960s, she earned the titles with which she retired, her daughter said.

"She worked with lots of retired people" from Wanamakers, she said, among other efforts "organizing them into the Leisure Club."

Mrs. Meade continued an association with Wanamakers after retiring, going to New York City at least once a week for three months every year to help organize the Wanamaker Mile competition at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden.

Besides her daughter, Mrs. Meade is survived by son James O., two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Her husband died in 1982.

A visitation was set from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, at Christ the King Church, 200 Windsor Ave., Haddonfield, before a 10 a.m. Funeral Mass. Inurnment is to be private.

Donations may be sent to Christ the King Regional School, 164 Hopkins Ave., Haddonfield, N.J. 08033.

Condolences may be offered to the family at http://kainmurphy.com.