December 2, 1930 - April 12, 2015
Charles Meacham Flanigan Jr. “Meach” was born December 2,1930 to parents Charles Meacham Sr. and Shirley Mae Flanigan in Santa Barbara, California.
Meach moved and lived for a time in Ventura, California before moving to Burbank, California where he attended Edison Elementary School, Burroughs Junior High School and finally Burbank High School, graduating in 1948.
At the young age of 13, Meach’s desire for business began in his family garage. He started with a small hand letterpress, hand set type cases, and an entrepreneurial mind. Meach would travel around the surrounding neighborhoods gathering small printing orders such as business cards and invitations. Word spread and the business grew quite impressively.
After high school Charles Sr. kept the business going while Meach attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. During his college career Meach started the printing club “Mat Pica Pi” that still continues to this day. His college days were cut short due to the Korean War.
Meach joined the Navy to avoid the draft into the Army.
After basic training in San Diego, Meach was assigned to the USS Bataan (a smaller aircraft carrier which launched gull winged Corsairs) where he served in the onboard print shop and as anti aircraft ammunitions assistant. Though his tour sent him to the Sea of Japan and the South China Sea, he never faced an enemy engagement. After his one-year combat tour, Meach spent the remainder of his four years in Pearl Harbor where he again was assigned to the Print Shop.
Having been honorably discharged, Meach returned to Burbank, California and with his father Charlie, they began what was to become Flanigan Printers Inc. for the next 45 years.
It was during this time on August 30th, 1956 that Meach met, what was to be the love of his life, Audrey Gwenyth Bergum. The chance encounter happened at his, and her mutual friends wedding.
After a beautiful courtship, Meach and Audrey married on August 20th, 1958. Their marriage filled with love and great adventure, was shared for 57 years.
On July 4th 1960 Meach and Audrey were blessed with the birth of a baby girl, Karen Ann. Karen’s birth coincided with the first of what would be an annual camping trip with many close friends, causing a constant stream of calls from a campground payphone. The “Camping Group” was born. November 15th 1967 Charles Meacham Flanigan III “Charly”, a baby boy with brown hair and dark brown eyes was born. Seven months later, with the desire for a son and Karen’s constant begging, Charly was adopted and the family was complete.
Through the years, hard work and long hours did not keep Meach from family time. Home for dinner every night, even if a trip back to the shop was needed. The family always found time for fun with annual camping trips, snow skiing and frequent trips to the beach, the favorites being Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. Later, Meach and Audrey found fun with each other and friends in the game of golf. Though Audrey stopped playing due to her eyesight, golf remained a joy for Meach the rest of his days.
Meach is survived by wife Audrey Gwenyth Flanigan, daughter Karen Flanigan Stegman, son Charles Meacham Flanigan III “Charly”, grandson Curtis Leon Ayers III, grandson Joseph Branning Flanigan, son-in-law Scott Ford Stegman, and daughter-in-law Gabrielle Jacquet Flanigan.
To know Meach was to have a caring friend.
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