M.A. "Patches" Meares

M. A. “Patches” Meares, 86, died peacefully at home on Sunday, August 26th. He was born on November 13th 1925 to the late Sidney Meares Jr. and Ruth Adams Meares of Chadbourn, N.C. Patches came to Raleigh at age 16 to attend “State College”. He interrupted his studies at N.C. State to serve in the Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1945. Patches graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1947. As a student he was a member of Blue Key, Golden Chain, Tau Beta Pi, Pi Tau Sigma, and Theta Tau, and served as representative and president of the Engineer’s Council. He also co-founded the N. C. State Raleigh Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Following graduation Patches married the love of his life, Dorothy “Dot” Swain. They were married for 65 years at the time of his death.

Patches began work at North Carolina Equipment Company in 1947 and transferred to A. E. Finley and Associates in 1956. He served as Salesman, Sales Manager and Vice President before being named President of A. E. Finley and Associates in 1987. He was a prominent figure in the construction-equipment industry until his retirement in 2000.

Patches Meares loved N. C. State University. He served on the N.C. State Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Campaign for Excellence Steering Committee, the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Library, and served for 25 years on the Board of Directors of the Wolfpack Club with one term as its president. A Chancellor’s Circle Partner, he was inducted into the R.S. Pullen and W. H. Page Lifetime Giving Societies and received the University’s highest honor, the Watauga Medal in 1999 and the Menscer Cup in 2002. He was an avid football and basket ball fan attending well over 3000 Wolfpack games all over the country.

In addition to his contributions to N. C. State, Patches served on the board of directors of numerous North Carolina institutions and businesses including the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Bank of North Carolina, and NCNB. He was an active member of Edenton Street United Methodist Church and a member of the Raleigh Exchange Club since 1954. A past president of the Carolina Country Club, Patches was an avid left-handed golfer, maintaining a 6 to 8 handicap for many years. It has been rumored that he talked a better game than he played. He loved his family and friends, and was quite a character who had nicknames for many, and lively conversation for all.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Swain Meares; daughter, Mary Meares Scott and husband Lee, of Rocky Mount; son, Robert Meares and wife Peggy, of Raleigh; and son, Paul Meares and wife Lu, of Raleigh; and grandchildren Matthew Meares, Brian Meares, Catherine Durham, Jessica Meares, and Patricia Meares. The family would like to thank the Crowder family for all of their love and wonderful care over the last few years.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm, on Wednesday August 29, at Edenton Street United Methodist Church, 228 W. Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC. The family will receive friends following the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Edenton Street United Methodist Church or the NCSU Engineering Foundation.

Condolences and memories can be shared at www.BrownWynne.com.