Margaret Eleanor Schumacher Meek, 92, of Chattanooga, died on Saturday, March 21, 2020.
Eleanor was the wife of the late James (Jim) Shirley Meek, who died in 1997. She was born August 10, 1927, in Knoxville to Henry Louis and Mary Josephine Wilson Schumacher.
After graduating from The University of Tennessee with a major in microbiology and a minor in chemistry, she and Jim, a nuclear engineer, worked in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory until approximately 1955.
She and Jim moved to Chattanooga around 1956 and raised four children – Margaret Anne Meek Taylor, David Leonard Meek, James Shirley Meek Jr, and John Henry Meek. About 30 years later, she and Jim retired to Fairfield Glade in Crossville.
She was a lifelong competitive golf and duplicate bridge player. In 2018, she was awarded Life Master status by the American Contract Bridge League. In 2019, she returned to Chattanooga.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Hilda Schumacher Carnes, her husband Jim, and her son David.
She is survived by her brother Louis Schumacher and his wife Sherlene of Franklin, her daughter Margaret and her husband Tom of Atlanta, her daughter-in-law Suzanne Mahoney of Chattanooga, her son James Jr. and his wife Angela of Highland Village, TX, her son John and his wife Joy of Chattanooga, her grandchildren Holley Corder, Mitchell Meek, Amy Meek, Austin Meek, and Jaclyn Meek, her great grandchildren Thatcher and Reid Corder, nephews Al Carnes, Walter Carnes, and Stephen Schumacher, niece Leslie Schumacher McKee, and their spouses and children.
At the family’s request due to the current health concerns, a memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Eleanor’s memory to the charity of your choice.
Please visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort.
Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421.