Meacham, Carol Beck
Carol Beck Meacham, age 93, of Blacksburg, Virginia, passed away peacefully at her home on September 28, 2024. Born in Colusa, California, on September 16, 1931, she was the daughter of Carl Gustaf Beck and Nellie Smith Beck.
Carol grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, where her father taught at Cal Poly. It was during her early years at faculty gatherings for the College of Agriculture that she unknowingly first met her future husband, Tom Meacham. They were married in June of 1953. Carol loved the outdoors from an early age, climbing the foothills of San Luis Obispo. She was an active and highly decorated Campfire Girl and spent many summers at Camp Natoma near Paso Robles.
Carol attended Whittier College, where she earned a degree in Home Economics. Following her graduation, she began her career teaching Home Economics at Coalinga High School in California. After Tom’s service in the U.S. Army and the completion of his graduate studies at the University of Florida, the couple moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, in 1962, where Tom joined the faculty at Virginia Tech. Together, they raised two children and spent the rest of their lives there among family and friends, much of it on horseback. Carol, Tom, and their friends in the Blacksburg Saddle Club created miles of trails across Brush Mountain and along Poverty Creek, which are extensively used today.
Carol had a lifelong passion for young people, which began shortly after her arrival in Blacksburg. She was a beloved preschool teacher at Blacksburg United Methodist Preschool, a role she cherished for over 25 years. Her commitment to youth extended beyond the classroom, as she became a dedicated 4-H Club leader. She, alongside Tom, played an instrumental role in the success of the Town and Country 4-H Horse Club, which fielded a 16-horse mounted drill team and fostered many young people’s passion for horses. Later, Carol’s love for her grandchildren shone through each summer during “Grandma Camp,” a treasured time filled with riding, fun, and creativity for her four grandchildren.
An accomplished artist, Carol expressed herself through various mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpting, and knitting, and she was an award-winning quilter. Her artistic talents continued through her later years, when she made more sock dolls than could be counted and sharpened down thousands of colored pencils completing art workbooks, or “her work,” as she liked to call it. She was also a skilled genealogist, tracing her Smith family roots back to the Revolutionary War and her Beck heritage from Sweden to Colorado in the late 1800s. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution for many years.
Carol was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Thomas N. Meacham, in 2011. She is survived by her daughter, Susan L. Meacham; her son, Vernon B. Meacham, and his wife, Nancy; her grandchildren, Aaron (Kim) Darnton, Kimberly (Miles) Groover, Dillon (Helen Park) Meacham, and Duncan (Rachel) Meacham; four great-grandchildren, and numerous extended family members and dear friends.
Carol’s legacy of love, creativity, and service to her community will live on in the hearts of those she touched. No formal service will be held, as was her wish. There will be a Celebration of Life in the coming months. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Blacksburg United Methodist Preschool, where Carol’s dedication to young people will continue to inspire future generations. Kindly make checks out to BUMP and send them to 111 Church Street, Blacksburg, VA 24060 Attn. Debbie McDowell.
The family would like to express their gratitude for the faithful care provided by Warm Hearth at Home and Good Samaritan Hospice. Arrangements are in the care of McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.
