James E. Meehan

Wellsville, NY - James E. Meehan, 75, passed away on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at Jones Memorial Hospital surrounded  by his family. He was born August 2, 1943 in DuBois, PA, the son of the late Charles and Maxine (Leitzell) Meehan. On July 20, 1968 at Sacred Heart Church in Genesee, PA he married Betty L. Cimpritz who survives. 

Jim was raised in Wellsville and was a 1961 graduate of Wellsville High School. He attended the Erie County Technical Institute from 1963 to 1965, and Alfred State College from 1968 to 1971. He was a veteran of the U. S. Army beginning his basic training at Fort Dix, NJ in 1965. After his aircraft maintenance training he served in Vietnam from September 1965 to September 1966. From September 1966 to March of 1967 he served at Fort Bragg, NC. He also served with the U.S. Army Reserve from 1974 to 1985. He began his career at Turbodyne Corporation in Wellsville in 1967 as a detail draftsman, and retired as a senior designer in 2005, after 37 years of service.  

He was a 49 year member of the McEwen Hose Company/Wellsville Fire Company; where he served as President, Captain, Trustee, and was the Chief of the Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department in 1993 and 1994. He was a member of the Allegany County Fireman's Association, the Southwestern Association of Volunteer Fireman, the New York State Fire Chiefs Association, and was a Fire Investigator for Allegany County. He was a member of the Morrison Hayes Post 702, American Legion, the Frank B. Church Post 2530 VFW, and the Wellsville Moose Lodge 601. He was an avid baseball fan and loved to take his grandson, Nicholas to Yankee games. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing golf and watching his grandson play baseball. 

Surviving in addition to his wife, are two daughters, Lori (Brian) Meehan-McLymont of Brookfield, CT, and Sherri (Larry) Salvato of Rochester, a grandson, Nicholas James Tanner, three step grandchildren, Ryan, Lauren and Jordyn, a sister-in-law, Julie Morsman of Genesee, PA, several cousins, and nieces and nephews, including Joe, Kevin, and Bill Morsman, and their families. He was predeceased in addition to his parents by a beloved aunt, Helen Leitzell.

Friends are invited to call on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the J. W. Embser Sons Funeral Home, Inc. in Wellsville. The funeral will be Wednesday, February 6, at 11:00 am in the funeral home with Rev. Joseph Dougherty presiding. Burial with military honors will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Please consider memorial donations to the Hart Comfort house or the Wellsville Volunteer Fire Department. To leave online condolences, please visit www.embserfuneralhome.com.