David passed 4 months after Doris's passing.

David Willard Meacham

Posted: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 12:00 am

David Willard Meacham

David Willard Meacham, 89, of Lewiston, died Aug. 9, 2014, of causes related to age. Dave was the sixth and last surviving of seven children born to Merritt and Sylvia (Doak) Meacham. He was born Jan. 25, 1925, at the family home near what is now the intersection of U.S. Highway 95 and Tom Beall Road.

The family lived at several locations in the Lapwai and Lewiston areas. Sylvia moved the family to Lewiston for a time, seeking better educational opportunities for her children. Ironically, one of David's lifelong regrets was never graduating from high school. World War II took his older siblings away from home and his father required his help with the farming. He eventually enlisted in the U.S. Army and completed paratrooper training with the 182nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg N.C. He didn't deploy because the war was winding down. He was discharged after 13 months of service and returned to again help his father with the farming. He married Doris Herndon after returning home and they raised four children, Steven (Linda), Scott (Terry), Eric "Rick" (Patty, Karen), and Jane (Jerry Johnson).

David loved farming, stating a number of times that farming was the only thing he ever wanted to do with his life. Doris loved the blooming of the forsythias in the spring and passed away when they were in full bloom. Dave loved harvest and passed away in the middle of harvest. Dave and Doris lived in the Tom Beall area while he farmed with his father and brothers, Howard (Bud) and Gene. Many young men from the area earned money for college or less lofty pursuits working the green pea and wheat harvests on the Meacham farm during the '50s, '60s and early '70s. In the days before the full mechanization of harvesting green peas, the Meacham brothers provided a bunkhouse and cookhouse for migrant workers from Mexico who greatly appreciated staying at the Tom Beall ranch versus the "labor encampment" in North Lewiston. The cooks who worked the cookhouse and served as University of Idaho sorority cooks in the winter served up big breakfasts, sack lunches, great blue enameled pots of pinto beans and coffee and suppers daily. Since the ranch also had a cattle component overseen by their father, Merritt, and younger brother, Eugene (Gene), there were generous servings of beef after a 12-hour day of manual labor.

Dave and Bud raised the full spectrum of dryland crops: wheat, green and dry peas, barley, oats, lentils, garbanzo beans, hay and grass seed. Of special note is the fact that when the Meacham green peas would come to Lewiston for processing at Twin City Foods, Campbell Soup Co. would come to buy them for their Swanson frozen dinners. The Campbell people said the Meacham peas were the best peas, with the best flavor and color of all the green peas in the entire nation. This is probably attributed to the local soil, climate and Meachams owning their own pea harvesting equipment. Meacham peas could be harvested at the optimal time, not when the equipment owned by the processing plant could get there.

Bud and Dave had a number of full-time employees from before World War II into the '70s. Of note because of the length of their service were George Marshal, A.N. (Nels) Boyer, Swede Perkins, Jim Hill and Allen Maynard. In addition, seasonal tractor drivers from Lapwai, such as Moffett Johnson and Art Moore Sr., came every spring and fall to help with the field work. These men all did the work of making the farm a success. They were spoken of often and were all greatly appreciated.

In 1972 Dave, Doris and Janie moved to Nezperce because of a change in the farming operation. He and Doris lived in Nezperce until 1985, when he built a home in Lewiston in which he and Doris would live out their retirement. In February, Dave moved to the Idaho State Veterans Home in Lewiston because of health issues.

In retirement, he and Doris spent a number of summers traveling with the Road Runners RV group. They then parked the RV at ALACCA Bible Camp at Harpster, where he and Doris spent several summers volunteering in the kitchen, Doris mostly cooking and Dave mostly washing dishes. After retirement, Dave took a trip by himself to Alaska, traveling in a small Nissan pickup truck and camping out of a canopy on the back of the truck. Dave and Doris enjoyed snow-skiing with their good friends George and Peggy Stedman, boating and water skiing with friends in the slackwater behind the old Washington Water Power dam and using the log boom as a dock. He and Doris once traveled with a group in their 16-foot boat to the Pacific Ocean. Having helped Richard Law build a float house on Hidden Bay near Plummer, the family was able to spend some time after harvest "at the lake." He also took the family to the Oregon Coast a number of times, to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, the Seattle World's Fair and Yellowstone Park. Toward the end of his life, he enjoyed watching football, baseball, basketball and the farming channel on his big-screen TV.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Hulburt (Harry), George, Howard (Bud), Irma, Gordon and Eugene; his wife, Doris; and son Rick. He is survived by his children, Steve, Scott and Jane; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

David was a member of the Lewiston Orchards Nazarene Church and enjoyed attending Sunday service even after moving to the veterans home. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Mountain View Funeral Home, with Pastor Curt Blackwill officiating. Memorials may be made to the Orchards Nazarene Church or to the Idaho State Veterans Home.

The family would like to thank the people at the veterans home for their outstanding kindness and wonderful care. And a thank you to Kay Johnson, dad's faithful "Girl Friday," who was a great help to him before and after his move to the veterans home. Her willingness to give of her time was such a blessing to him and the family. Visit Mountain View's online guest book at www.mtviewfuneralhome.com.