Betty Louise (Howe) Meehan, 94, of Carlisle, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, following a brief illness.
Betty was born on Jan. 22, 1932, in Concord to Ralph and Ruth (Hurder) Howe. She attended the Alcott School, and graduated from Concord High School in 1950.
Betty enjoyed a happy childhood on the family farm in Concord, surrounded by neighbors, books, and the close-knit community that shaped her lifelong love of learning and nature.
She attended UMass Amherst, where she received a degree in horticultural science. After college, Betty worked at Lexington Gardens, where she met her future husband, Harold W. Meehan. They married in 1954, and settled in Bedford, where their two sons were born. In 1967, they built their home on part of the family farm in Carlisle, where Betty lived for nearly six decades.
Betty had a deep love of reading, and was rarely without a book. She frequently visited the library, always in search of another story. She also loved baking and cooking, carefully researching recipes — and adapting them for family and friends, including gluten-free favorites for her grandsons.
A lifelong gardener, Betty enjoyed growing fresh vegetables and spending time outdoors. She loved walks in the woods, cross-country skiing, and annual family trips to Nichols Pond in Vermont, as well as visits to Martha’s Vineyard to see family and enjoy fresh seafood. Known for her independence and practicality, Betty heated her home with a wood stove, hung laundry out to dry year-round, and drove her pickup truck well into later life.
Betty loved animals. She volunteered as a 4-H instructor and dog trainer. She was always happy to help neighbors with pets, children, or anything else that was needed. She was a beloved neighbor and friend.
Family was the center of Betty’s life. She was the proud grandmother of five grandchildren — including two sets of twins — and five great-grandchildren. Even in her 80s, Betty embraced new technology, learning to use an iPad, and texting regularly with her children and grandchildren, including messages sent just days before her passing.
Betty was also an honorary member of the TJX team, and a cherished member of the Walsh and Michalik families, whose friendships meant a great deal to her over the years.
Betty is survived by her son Cliff and his wife Mary Beth of Edgartown; her son Kurt and his wife Jackie of Concord; her five grandchildren, Jackie Millard and her husband Matt, Kurstin Moore and her husband Dayce, William Meehan, Thomas Meehan, and Donovan Meehan; and her five great-grandchildren: Quinn and Madi Millard, and Ryder, Layla, and Dayce Moore. She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Harold W. Meehan; and her brother, Stephen Howe.
Betty requested that her final arrangements be kept simple, and her services will be private.
To celebrate Betty’s memory and her love of books and reading, donations may be made to Link to Libraries (linktolibraries.org/donate), whose mission is to inspire young readers in underserved communities, or to the Friends of the Gleason Public Library in Carlisle (gleasonlibrary.org/about/giving/).
To share a remembrance or offer a condolence on Betty’s tribute page, please visit deefuneralhome.com.