Obituary of Richard Frederick Mereday

Richard Frederick Mereday Olean, NY Richard Frederick Mereday went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, (January 7, 2022), following a brief illness. Richard was born December 18, 1929, in Hempstead, Long Island, NY. He was the only child of Charles Mereday and Meta E. (McKinney) Mereday. On December 18, 2005, he married Nancy Smith Milligan, in Cuba, NY who survives. Richard was a 1946 graduate of Hempstead High School in Roosevelt. In 1947 he joined the US Navy Reserves. While in the Reserves, he also attended Hofstra University. He began active military duty during the Korean War and served as a medical corpsman from 1951-1953. He then continued in the Reserves until 1960, during which time he graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 1959. Richard was very active in the Nassau County Republican Party for years and in 1965 he was selected as the Republican Party leader of his community by the late Hon. Edward J. Speno. He served in this capacity for 11 years. He functioned in Nassau County government positions and eventually became the Executive Director of the Elmont Cooperative Service Center under the CETA Act until his retirement in February, 2002. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, three children, Phillip Mereday of Newark, NJ, Richard C. (Jacqueline) Mereday of Albany, NY, and Meta Mereday of Baldwin, NY, as well as three stepchildren: Jaeme (Ed) Gadley of Kane, PA, Brian (Tamara) Bess of Bradford, PA, and Andrea Mohr of Allegany, NY. He is also survived by one grandson, Jared W. Mereday, of Albany, NY, as well as seven step-grandchildren: Gabriel Gadley, Isaac Gadley, Simon Gadley, Spencer Bess, Caleb Bess, Savana Bess and Tristan Bess. Also, seven step-great grandchildren, Keaton Bess, Ryan Bess, Kendrick Bess, Kyrie Bess, Natalie Deitz, Mason Bess and Patrick Bess. He is also survived by numerous cousins. He was predeceased by both parents, his father on January 7, 1997 and his mother on April 4, 2004. A Celebration of Life service is being planned for a later date. Memorials, if desired, may be made to Creekside Chapel, 2523 Five Mile Rd, Allegany, NY 14706. Online condolences may be expressed at oleanfuneralhome.com.