Joseph Meagher, Jr.

August 7, 1941 - September 20, 2022

Bothell, WA, resident Joe Meagher was born in San Francisco, to Joseph and Barbara Meagher. He grew up playing sports in the bay area attending Serra High School where he excelled in baseball and basketball. Joe graduated from Santa Clara University in 1964, captaining the varsity basketball team. He stuck around at SCU to coach the freshman team before enlisting in the Navy and serving as playercoach of the Navy Sub-Pac basketball team from 196567, winning the all-military tournament in 1967.

While stationed at Pearl Harbor, Joe met Karen Lavin on a blind date, and the two married in Honolulu in 1967. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this past July.

Joe’s coaching career continued at Menlo School and College, Cupertino High School, Assistant Coach at University of Portland, and Head Coach at St. Martin’s College in Lacey, WA. After a coaching break working for Converse shoes, Joe returned courtside in the Seattle area at Woodinville High School also serving as Athletic Director and History Teacher. He concluded his coaching career at Jackson High School serving as assistant to his former assistant and friend Steve Johnson.

Joe and Karen adopted their three children, Maureen, Patrick, and Conor, who all reside in the Seattle area with families of their own. The couple also cared for foster children at multiple points in their life, and were quick to sort of adopt grandchildren along the way. Joe’s care for his kids, grandkids, and foster kids was indicative of his selfless nature in all areas of his life.

In Joe dwelt the talent, personality, and work ethic to command a presence and achieve great personal success. But in every aspect of his life from beginning to end, Joe made sure it was never about Joe. Coaching was always about his players’ development in basketball and life, and he poured out himself to family and friends at every turn. Devoted to his Catholic faith, and educated in the Jesuit tradition, Joe embodied every bit of the Jesuit teaching to be a person for others.

There’s no replacing Joe, but he lives on in the care and influence he bestowed on so many of us. We’ll miss you, Loads.

A funeral mass for Joe will be held on 10/28 at 11am at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Bothell, WA. A livestream link can be found on the church’s webpage: parish.saintbrendan.org. Memorial donations can be made to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: www. fredhutch.org.