Ret. Chaplain, Major General, Rev. Henry J. Meade, USAF of Framingham formerly of Brookline and Needham, died June 21, 2006.
Chaplain Meade was the Chief of Chaplains, U.S. Air Force. As a member of the Special Staff of the chief of staff, he advised on all matters that pertained to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel. He also was responsible for establishing an effective total chaplain program that will meet the religious needs of all members of the Air Force.
Chaplain Meade was born in Brookline in 1925 and graduated from St. Mary’s High School. He then attended St. Anselm’s College, Manchester, NH, from 1942-1943, and graduated from St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
On April 11, 1951, Chaplain Meade was ordained by the eminent prelate Richard Cardinal Cushing and served as a priest in the Boston Archdiocese from April 1951 to February 1957.
Chaplain Meade entered active military service in February 1957. For the next 12 years, he served stateside military congregations at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas; U.S. Air Force Retraining Center, Amarillo, Texas; Westover Air Force Base, MA; Officer Training School and Officer Candidate School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Barksdale Air Force Base, LA and Dover Air Force Base, DE. During this same period his overseas assignments included Samsun/Trabzon, Turkey; Kindley Air Force Base Bermuda and U-Tapao Airfield, Thailand.
In 1969 Chaplain Meade was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Office of the Chief of Chaplains, Professional Division. In 1971 he was made the first director of ecclesiastical and public relations within the Office of the Chief of Chaplains.
His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon.
Chaplain Meade has been the recipient of numerous awards for his service to church and Community. Two notable honors bestowed on him were the Four Chaplains Award received in 1973 for distinguished service in the field of interfaith relations and the Civitan International Award in1975 on behalf of the great contribution of the military chaplaincy to our society.
Chaplain Meade served as chairman of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, composed of the chief of Chaplains of the departments of the Army, Navy, Air Force and their deputies. As chairman he acted as principal advisor to the assistant secretary of defense (manpower and reserve affairs) on all Armed Forces Chaplain Board matters.
He received the grade of Major General on September 1, 1974, with date of rank, May 1, 1972.
Affectionately known by the nickname “Hank,” Chaplain Meade’s hobbies included golf, tennis and boating. He was a former licensed pilot and still enjoyed it on occasion.
Chaplain Meade was assigned to many local churches which included, from 1951-1955 St Joseph Church in Needham, from 1955-1957 St Catherine's Church in Somerville, and from 1981 until his retirement he was assigned to St. Bartholomew Church in Needham.
He was the beloved son of the late Arthur J. and Elizabeth J. (Digout) Meade. He was the brother of Frederick P. Meade and his wife Josie of West Roxbury and the late William A. Meade. He was the uncle of Frederick J. Meade and his wife Kelly of Raynham, Thomas E. Meade and his wife Susan of Rockledge, FL., Mary E. Ambrefe and her husband Brian of Boxford and Peter A. Meade of San Diego, CA. He was the great uncle of Julie, Courtney, and Molly Meade all of Rockledge, FL. and Lyndon and Avery Ambrefe of Boxford. Cousin of Rev. Maurice P. Meade of Cambridge.
Chaplain Meade’s funeral will be held from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 1305 Highland Ave., Needham on Monday at 10:00 AM. His funeral mass will be concelebrated in St Bartholomew Church, Needham, at 11:00 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held Sunday from 4-8 PM. Interment will be in Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in Father Meade's memory to St Patrick's Manor, 863 Central St., Framingham, 01701.