Dr. Thomas James Meakem Jr.

Dr. Thomas James Meakem, Jr., of Raleigh, NC, formerly of Kiawah Island, SC, and a long-time resident of Potomac, MD, passed away on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at the age of 91, from complications of Parkinson’s Disease.

Born on November 30, 1934, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Tom was the only child in a family deeply affected by the Great Depression. Throughout his school years, he displayed the fierce work ethic and determination that would become his lifelong hallmarks. He initially won a basketball scholarship to Davis & Elkins College but quickly converted it into an academic scholarship, excelling in pre-med coursework. It was at D&E that he met Mary Carolyn Soliday, whom he married in 1956. Ever practical, Tom pivoted to a shorter educational path at University of Maryland Dental School, graduating in 1959 to begin his training as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

Tom proudly served in the U.S. Army Dental Corps, during which time his two sons, Thomas James Meakem, III, and Timothy Dean Meakem, were born at Fort Jackson, SC. Following his honorable discharge at the rank of Captain, Tom moved his family to Maryland to embark upon his surgical career. For more than 40 years, Dr. Meakem performed surgery in his Bowie, MD office and across the region’s major hospitals. He dedicated years to training and mentoring the next generation of oral and maxillofacial surgery residents at Washington Hospital Center. Known for his leadership and clinical excellence, he served as a prominent voice in organized dentistry, including his 1987 term as President of the Maryland State Dental Association.

In 1982, Dr. Meakem made history when he received special permission from the FDA to perform a complex jaw reconstruction on a teenage girl using titanium implant technology from Sweden. The successful procedure was widely recognized for its innovation and advanced the development of a technique that is now commonplace. Alongside these milestone procedures, he performed routine surgeries with an exceptional skill recognized throughout the community; as one former patient noted, it felt like everyone in Bowie had their wisdom teeth pulled by Dr. Meakem.

Not one to slow down in retirement, Dr. Meakem enjoyed a meaningful second-act career as an ocularist. His surgical expertise with component materials meshed seamlessly with a previously undiscovered artistic talent, allowing him to hand-paint and craft life-changing prosthetic eyes for patients who had lost an eye to accident or disease. He loved talking with his patients while he painted, taking immense pleasure in granting special requests from pediatric patients for unconventional, creative looks.

Tom experimented with various hobbies over the years, but his three favorite pastimes were flying, snow-skiing and golf. A private pilot for more than 30 years, he kept a succession of planes at Freeway Airport and loved nothing more than flying to a regional airport for Saturday morning breakfast. As an avid skier, he wouldn’t miss an annual trip with his friends. One year he had two broken ribs at the time of the trip. Knowing the risk of a pneumothorax if he fell the wrong way, he distributed ball-point pens to his skiing companions (some of whom had medical training) so they could perform emergency intervention if needed. On the golf course, Tom’s buddies knew him as a tough competitor always trying to break 80. Whether playing the Blue Course at Congressional or the Ocean Course at Kiawah, he thrived under pressure and was a good partner in a tournament.

Tom was a devoted husband and father. He involved his family in his hobbies and activities, and some of their most powerful memories took place at their vacation home on Deep Creek Lake, MD. Work came before play, and putting the dock out each spring involved moving and realigning heavy rocks by hand. Tom joked that after years, he and those rocks were on a first-name basis. The effort was worth it as Tom learned and then taught his family about motorboats, sailboats, and water-skiing. His favorite advice: “If you fall, let go of the rope!” In later years, grandchildren began arriving, and the family’s lake adventures moved to Lake Gaston, where the dock is a permanent fixture. No one missed moving rocks.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas James Meakem, Sr., and Esther Eileen Wheat Meakem. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Carolyn; his son Tom and his wife Susan; his son Tim and his wife Elisabeth; his daughter Traci Meakem Richmond and her husband Brian; 13 grandchildren, and 1 great-granddaughter.

The family extends their deepest gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff at Duke University Medical Center, Raleigh Rehabilitation, NymaCare, and Waltonwood for their care and compassion.

At Tom’s explicit request, there will be no formal funeral services.

As the proud husband and father of two female financial advisors, Tom was an original and staunch supporter of women in financial services. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory are warmly welcomed by Women’s Alliance of Financial Advisors: https://womensalliancefa.org/donate/ or by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research: https://give.michaeljfox.org/give/421686/#!/donation/checkout