Joan Mary Bagby Meagher

Joan Meagher was born to Marjorie Burkart and Earl Myers Bagby in Lookout Mountain, GA, seven minutes after her identical twin. She attended Notre Dame School in Chattanooga, TN, where she was a cheerleader for all four years of high school and graduated in 1955. She attended Siena College in Memphis before returning to Chattanooga, where she graduated with a degree in education from the University of Chattanooga in 1959. Joan’s professional journey began at Lookout Mountain Elementary, where she instilled a love for learning and community in her students. Her passion for education led her to Ridgedale Elementary and other Chattanooga City Schools, where she continued to inspire many. Her career then led her to the field of telecommunications, culminating in her retirement from BellSouth in Nashville, Tennessee.

She married Jack Meagher in 1983 and they both retired to The Village’s in Florida in 2003. She immediately embraced life in the Village’s. Always with Jack by her side, they immersed themselves
in golf and softball, where she became the “Unofficial” scorekeeper at hundreds of Jack’s softball games, attending over a thousand games in the Village’s softball leagues. She became president of the Springdale Social Club, organizing and sharing time with her many friends, clubs, and Bunco and Bridge groups. Her last group was the weekly “Around the Tree” discussion group. Joan’s interests were as diverse as they were numerous. While living in Chattanooga, she worked at Chattanooga Florist, immersing herself in the world of the flowers she loved. She lovingly tended to her amazing African Violet and Orchid
collections. Her true gift, however, was her insatiable desire to remain busy. She was an enthusiastic collector of Precious Moments, stamps, coins, baseball cards, and Atlanta Braves collectibles. She Scrapbooked for loved ones, always clipping the newspaper, especially the news of Jack’s achievements in softball. She was a lifelong learner and crafter, constantly acquiring new painting, basket weaving, and baking skills, generously sharing these moments with her many friends and loved ones.

Joan is preceded in death by her parents, mother, Marjorie Burkhart Bagby, and father, Earl Myers Bagby, and her grandson, Shannon Payne. She is survived by the love of her life, Jack Meagher, identical twin sister, Anne Bagby Hulbert, brother Robert “Bob” Earl Bagby (Diane), and her extensive family. Her children,
Debra Meade, Lori Payne (Jerry), Dan Lundien (Tracy), Jamey Smith (Lori), Eddie Lundien (Donna), Charles Smith, Mark Meagher, Philip Smith (Diane), Nancy Ryer, Paul Smith, Chris Meagher (Dawn), her
14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren were the joy of her life, as she leaves behind a legacy of love that will forever be cherished.

We ask for your continued prayers as we navigate this devastating loss. We also ask that you continue to pray for each other just as she prayed for all of us. She will remain a beloved wife, sister, mom,
grandmommy, grandmomma, aunt, mentor, and friend to all of us.
She loved so many with her whole heart.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mark the Evangelist Roman
Catholic Church, 7081 SE Highway 42, Summerfield, FL 34491, on Monday, July 8 th at 10 am. Another Celebration of Life will be held in Chattanooga, TN in the future.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to your chosen charity, as she loved so many people and supported each of our passions in life.