Charlotte Meehan, 66, friend to many

Charlotte M. Meehan of Bayberry Hill Road, a longtime Ridgefielder and friend to many people young and old, died Monday, July 3, at Danbury Hospital. She was 66 years old and the widow of Francis W. Meehan, who died in 1993.
"She had friends everywhere," said her son, William Meehan. "She was someone people liked and could talk to. And she could talk to anyone, any time and any place.
"Some of my own friends became better friends with my parents than with me," he added with a smile. "They were both outgoing and giving people."
Mrs. Meehan was informally known as the "Bayberry Hill nurse." Although she was not trained as a nurse, youngsters in the neighborhood would often come to her with scraped knees or other ailments and sometimes she would wind up taking them to the hospital for treatment.
A native of New York City, she was born on Sept. 19, 1933, a daughter of the late Richard and Delia Ahearn Coleman. She attended New York schools.
In 1967, the Meehans moved to Ridgefield from Bergenfield, N.J., living at first on New Road and a year later on Bayberry Hill Road. Mr. Meehan had been business manager for the Famous Artists and Famous Writers schools in Westport.
In the 1970s Mrs. Meehan worked as a receptionist at the Stonehenge Inn and had also worked at the Benrus Center.
The family arrived in town at just about the same time the new Branchville School was opening, and she was active in the PTA and in helping the school in its early years.
Mrs. Meehan was also an admirer of the late First Selectman Elizabeth Leonard and had worked as a campaigner.
She was a collector of specialty plates and miniature carousels and she and her husband enjoyed traveling.
Her survivors include two sons, Francis B. Meehan of Redding and William Meehan of Fort Ann, N.Y; a daughter, Kathleen M. Meehan of Bethel; a sister, Kay Dye of New York City; seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated this morning, Thursday, July 6, at 10:30 in St. Mary's Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut, 30 West Street, Danbury CT 06810.
The Kane Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.