Edna Webb "Mimi" Meeker

Edna Meeker (Mimi) passed away peacefully on July 11, 2022 at the age of 101. Although she endured declining physical health over her last few years, she retained her razor-sharp mental acumen until the end.

Edna was born on April 3, 1921 in the Dix Creek Community in rural northwest Buncombe County to Lonzo and Hattie Webb, and was the middle child of nine siblings, of who she was the last survivor. She was raised on a small family farm during the depression when times were hard, and money was scarce. Her childhood helped mold her lifelong strong sense of diligence, frugality, determination for improvement, and ability to endure hardship. In high school, Edna excelled as a student, serving as salutatorian, and began her lifetime dedication to reading, education and learning for her and all her family.

Although quite the beauty, Edna did not marry early as was then the custom. In 1943, she met a handsome soldier who was returning to Savannah from Pearl Harbor, where he had been stationed during the Japanese attack. On his way, he stopped in Asheville to visit Edna’s aunt who had corresponded with him throughout the war. Although they had not met prior to his visit, two months later Edna and Paul Meeker were married.

As well as being married, they were also business partners for the 73 years of their marriage (until Paul’s death in 2016). Paul was the entrepreneur/salesman who never met a stranger and could sell anything to anyone. Edna’s role in the partnership was to work behind the scenes to provide motivation and keep Paul straight, and like everything Edna did, she was very good at it. They began with owning and operating a small grocery store on Deaverview Road and traded and worked their way up to owning and operating the Meeker Lincoln-Mercury car dealership on Patton Avenue in Asheville for many years before Paul’s retirement in 1994. Edna also worked for many years as a weather records manager for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where she provided weather records to customers throughout the world.

But it was not all work for Edna and Paul. They both loved to travel and took many trips to Europe and throughout North America, some of which were provided by Ford Motor Company as prizes for winning sales contests. When a travel contest was announced, Paul would ask Edna if the destination was someplace to which she wanted to go. If it was, Paul would almost always win the trip and take the whole family. In their travels, they saw many wonderful sights and made many lifelong friends, including Senator Sam Ervin.

First and foremost, Mimi valued family. She was a wonderful wife, mom, grandmother, great grandmother, daughter, sister and aunt. She was always there to provide love, kindness, support and encouragement. But she also instilled the need for appropriate conduct and accountability. Although she did not have the resources growing up to continue her education, she provided her family with the encouragement and financial backing to attend the top preparatory schools, universities and graduate schools of their choices.

Mimi is survived by her son, Michael D. Meeker (Connie) of Greensboro; her step-granddaughter, Lauren Ritch of Raleigh; her grandson, Michael A. Meeker (wife Raquel and sons Aidan and Gavin) of Charlotte; her grandson, Mark C. Meeker (wife Emily Carey Meeker and children Hudson, Hunter and Hayden) of Charlotte; her special niece, Faye Odum (husband Everette) of Savannah, Ga.; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews in the Asheville area and elsewhere.

A visitation will be held at the Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue on Monday, July 18, 2022 from 12 noon until 1:30 PM, followed by interment at 2:00 PM at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, 962 Old US Highway 70, Black Mountain.