Obituary of Eileen M Meagher

After a long illness, Eileen M. Meagher, 79, of Lawrence Township, died Tuesday January 13, 2009 at home surrounded by her family. Born at home in Woodside, Queens, N.Y., to Francis P. and Julia E. (Tisdell) Prial, Eileen grew up in Woodside, Island Park, and Riverdale, Bronx, N.Y. She attended school at St. Theresa, Woodside; St. Margaret, Riverdale; Sacred Heart High School, Yonkers, N.Y.; and College of New Rochelle. Eileen met William (Bill) H. Meagher, Jr. at RCA in Manhattan. They married at St. Margaret, Riverdale, in 1951 and moved to this area. They bought their home in Lawrence Township in 1957. Eileen loved to sing and over the years was a member of many choirs: St. Theresa, St. Margaret, St. Paul in Princeton, St. Ann in Lawrence Township, and the Trenton Diocesan Choir. Also a member of Millstone Valley Sweet Adelines, Eileen enjoyed making harmony as the bass in the quartet, Take Four. Eileen and Bill performed in many PJ&B productions at McCarter Theatre, often with their children. Eileen was a political and pro-life activist. She was also a fan of the New York Yankees. Eileen was a parishioner of St. Ann Church since 1957, a member of the Altar Rosary Society, and a member of the Catholic Family Movement. Eileen also attended Incarnation-St. James Church, Ewing, for many years. Eileen is predeceased by her parents, her husband Bill (1996), and their daughter, Kathleen (1957). Eileen, beloved mother and grandmother, is survived by 11 children and their spouses, 28 grandchildren and their spouses and fiances, and six great-grandchildren. Survivors include daughter Theresa Meagher of Lawrence Township; son, William H., III and Collette A ""Teddy"" Meagher of Lawrence Township and their children: Jeannie and Chris Chapman (Madeline, Alexander, Nathaniel) of Suwanee, Ga.; Kathleen and Jacob Luckey (Charlotte, Claudia) of Lawrence Township; William H., IV and Michelle Meagher (Keira) of Chase, Md.; Sarah Meagher of Lawrence Township and her fiance John Burns of Cinnaminson; Mary Frances Meagher of Lawrence Township; Michael T. Meagher of Laurel, Md., and his fiance Julianne Marton also of Laurel; son Christopher and Jill Meagher of Kennett Square, Pa. (Charles, Kelly, Daniel), son Thomas and Debra Meagher of Lawrence Township (Haley, Dylan, Caitlin, Cody), son Timothy Meagher of Winchester, Mass. (Hannah), son Gerard and Margreet Meagher of Franeker, Netherlands (Colin, Andrea, Emily), daughter Elizabeth Meagher of Lawrence Township, son Michael and Karen Meagher of Lawrence Township (Fiona, Molly, Seamus), daughter Mary Clare Meagher of Lawrence Township (Christine), daughter Julia and Francis Walsh of Scranton, Pa. (Nora, Benjamin, Sean, Abigail), and daughter Annie and Tucker Hoyt of Pennington (Rebecca, Emmalyn, Bridget). Eileen is also survived by her sister Mary Keane of Yonkers, N.Y., her sister Elizabeth Kalsch, wife of Francis Kalsch of Wilmington, N.C., and her brother Francis J. Prial of Island Park, N.Y., as well as sisters-in-law Edith Mimnaugh of New Hampton, N.H., and Jean Ulitz of Tamworth, N.H., and brother-in-law Richard Meagher of Lynbrook, N.Y., 31 nieces and nephews and their spouses, and many great-nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 17, at 10 AM at the Church of St. Ann, 1253 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Hamilton. Calling hours will be held from 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday, January 16, at Poulson and Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville. www.poulsonvanhise.com In lieu of flowers, contributions in Eileen's memory may be made to Incarnation-St. James School, Ewing, N.J.; St. Ann School, Lawrence Township; or Human Life International, 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, Va. 22630.