William “Bill” Robert Mealey, 83, passed away peacefully at his home in Sweet Home November 25, 2020. He was born in North Bend, Washington to Anna Kathleen (McLoughlin) and Robert Hamilton Mealey. He was one of the last of a pioneer family that has been a part of the Sweet Home-Foster community since 1873.

Bill was raised on the family ranch near the confluence of the South and Quartzville Forks of the Santiam River, which was inundated by Foster Reservoir in 1968. He graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1955 and Oregon Institute of Technology in 1966. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to 1960. Bill was a U.S. Forest Service retiree who spent most of his career as a civil engineer. He was also an accomplished wellness consultant as well as an addiction/recovery counselor.

Bill spent much of his later retirement years fishing and hunting with his childhood and lifelong friend, John Welty, of Sweet Home and his brother, Steve. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, William Ralph (Bill) Mealey, who’s poems are local legend, in writing poetry. He was an excellent photographer as well.

Bill is survived by his daughters: Anna Bates of Stevenson, WA, Erin Keller of Ashland and Meg Aldrich of Portland; sister Mary Kate McKenney of Wichita, KS; brother Steve Mealey of Leaburg, OR, along with six grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his father Robert H. Mealey, and mother Anna K Mealey of Sweet Home and Albany, OR; and sister Constance McCaffery of Steilacoom, WA.

A funeral Mass is planned at St Helen Catholic Church in Sweet Home with time to be announced.

Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements.