Joseph Meesey

Joseph Streckfus Meesey was born March 9, 1947, and passed away July 19, 2025. He is survived by his first-born son, Joseph “Joey” Sheehan Meesey (Stephanie, Sebastopol, CA); wife Joan Jensen of 44 years; and their two children, Sean (Monica, Eugene, OR); Erin (Justin, Creswell, OR); grandson Patrick; and granddaughter Avrey Elaine.

Joe was born to Jeanne Streckfus and Vernon “Bud” Meesey. He was the second of thirteen children and was loved by a multitude of family and lifelong friends.

In his teen years, he was boarded at Subiaco Academy, a Jesuit High School in Arkansas. He always felt extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to receive such an exceptional educational experience. During this time, he also worked at his father’s cafeteria, “Salem House”, in Warson Woods, Missouri. This began his lifelong love of cooking. He was an excellent cook!

After high school, while the Vietnam war was ongoing, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Eventually he became a submariner on the USS Halibut (SSN 587), which he absolutely loved. Joe’s patriotism and service in the Navy was a testament to his brilliant mind and his courage. The camaraderie his crew shared helped them to perform perilous missions of national importance.

Once out of the service, Joe had a long history working in law enforcement in San Anselmo, California, eventually working as a Juvenile Officer.

While living in San Rafael, California, Joe met Joan who had recently moved to the area after finishing college in Wisconsin. They began dating and soon they were a “couple”. In July 1980, Joan was accepted to medical school in Madison, Wisconsin and “Joey” came along for the cross-county adventure. After everyone and everything was settled, Joey returned home to California. Joe then worked as a Sheriff’s Deputy in Dane County for eight years.

Joe and Joan married in June 1981. They moved to Portland, Oregon in 1988 for Joan’s fellowship in Neuro Electrophysiology, which lead to a job offer at the Eugene clinic as a neurologist and therefore, another move. They settled in and had two children, Sean Michael Meesey and Erin Anne Phillips (Meesey). Together they agreed that Joe would stay home to care for the children, a job that he truly loved and excelled at. The children grew up happy and now enjoy life with loved ones of their own.

Joe went on to get an MBA from the University of Oregon.

They welcomed their first grandchild, Patrick Sheehan, in 2007, and second grandchild Avrey Elaine, in 2023, who is the joy of their lives.