Eileen Meeker

Eileen F. Meeker was a caring wife, a loving mother, a proud grandmother, a dedicated special needs educator, and a donkey and rescue dogs enthusiast. She was born in Quakertown Pennsylvania on April 13, 1950, to Robert and Vivian Thayer. She attended Millersville, Pennsylvania State, and Temple Universities to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in Special Education. In 1977, she met her future husband J. Theodore Meeker and they later wed in 1981. Throughout their lives together, they filled their home in Pottstown with four children, numerous dogs, cats and donkeys, love, and lots of music. Eileen loved hosting parties in their expansive yard.

Eileen dedicated her life to three main things: helping children, donkeys, and dogs. She always understood that there were children that needed help and was dedicated to that mission through her professional career as well as community involvement with Boy Scouts of America. As a young single woman, she adopted two young girls from South Korea to raise as her own. At the same time, she worked with special needs adults and children for close to 40 years. She finally retired in 2021, after working for over 30 years as an early intervention teacher for the Chester County Intermediate Unit. She touched countless lives throughout those years and had been recognized many times throughout her career for distinguished service.

Her second love was her animals. Being the youngest daughter growing up on a farm, she was responsible for donkeys and rode little Jocko all over the place. For many years she had a feisty donkey named Arthur. After Arthur's passing, she rescued three miniature donkeys: Cactus Jack, Gumby, and Teddy Bear. She also adored her three rescue dogs Thorpe, Casey, and Peanut.

She is survived by her daughters Tammy French and Jamie Salmon (Jim), and her sons John (Caitlin) and Christopher (Emily), her sister Sharon Konderchek, wife of the late Robert; and her grandchildren Benjamin, Ella, Eric, Jack, Theodore, Jovianne, and Griffin. She is predeceased by her husband Ted, and sister Sonja Nice.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00AM at Catagnus Funeral Home (711 N. Franklin St. Pottstown, PA, 19646) on Friday, October 11, 2024. Burial will follow at Highland Memorial Park. A viewing will also be held on Friday, October 11, 2024, from 9:00AM-11:00AM at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Eileen’s name to the following organizations:

https://www.thefarmette.org/

https://www.littlelongears.org/