Jane Putney Meacham

Jane Putney Meacham, a Houston native and longtime resident of Bellville, Texas, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday morning, December 7, 2025. She was surrounded by the loving company of her immediate family for the weeks preceding her death. She was a decidedly youthful 94 years old.

Born to Richard James Putney and Marian (Radetsky) Putney on March 31, 1931 (“03-31-31” as she liked to recite when asked), Jane attended Lanier Junior High School and graduated from Lamar High School in Houston. She subsequently attended Sullins College in Bristol, Virginia, returning to Houston to marry fellow Lamar student Doyle Beard in 1951. They were married for 27 years and had four children together. Jane’s open heart for non-related children and adults delightfully increased her extended family, year after year.

Jane moved to the Bellville area in 1980 and joined the congregation of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, where for many years she served on the altar guild. She maintained a vast network of friends and acquaintances in the greater Bellville area throughout the balance of her life.

She is survived by a colorful and delightful family that includes son Richard Beard and partner Nicholas Proietti; daughter Marian Cates and husband Jimmy; daughter Ann Thompson and husband Dave; daughter Elizabeth Beard, along with 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren (one of whom carries Jane’s name, continuing with family tradition). More recently, her dear friend Carrie Vitek of Brenham joined the ranks of ex officio family members. Jane’s sister Ann (Putney) Bolton also survives her, along with her niece Georgiana (Bolton) Ladd, and nephews Bob and Chuck Bolton.

Jane was an independent, charitable, strong-willed, and socially engaged person her entire life. She exhibited incredible enthusiasm for and interest in the natural world and political affairs and possessed a brutally honest sense of humor until her very last days. Some, indeed, have described her (accompanied with bemused laughter) as a “professional eccentric.” While raising her family, it was not uncommon for her children to come home to find their own friends hanging out with Jane, engaged in conversation and frequent laughter, resulting in hours of entertainment and dining as a big family. When it recently occurred to her that she would be able to join two of her earlier-in-life love interests in heaven, she calmly stated, “I hope it won’t be too awkward...”

Her devotion to the natural world was well known and admired by family and friends. An early advocate of native plants and horticulture, she promoted the efforts of Lynn Lowrey—a pioneer in the field—to advance the knowledge of native planting in Texas, beginning in the late 1960s.

Fauna shared equal interest with Jane, in an extreme measure that always delighted and bewildered some of her family and anyone visiting, which was frequent. Her home in Brookshire, Texas, was home to an edited ark consisting of peacocks, Araucana chickens, four great Danes (with Shakespearian names), several ponies, dozens of horses, two goats, and a pig named Bathsheeba. It was inconceivable that she would ever be without at least one, or preferably several, dogs -- most of whom were memorialized by artworks and photographs throughout the walls of her home.

Jane’s spirit of humor, whimsy, kindness, generosity, and love for all living things will long endure, across generations and time, and family and friends.

Charitable donations are preferred to: PUPS (pupsofcatspring.com), The Nature Conservancy (preserve.nature.org), St. Jude’s Hospital (stjude.org), and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (stmarysbellville.com).

The family would like to recognize caregivers Johnnie Mae (Cookie) Jackson, Starr Garcia, and Melanie Ueckert; and the staff from Amedisys Hospice Care for their support, kindness, and professionalism.

In keeping with Jane’s wishes, a private service was held for immediate family at her home. An interment service at St. Mary’s will follow at a later date.