I wrote a statement about a friend of mine in a recent top comments diary. The friend's name is Roy, and his partner, Jim Meko, of 33 years had had a stroke. Although I did not know Jim as well as Roy, I also considered him a friend. Jim had been in coma for two weeks at the time of the diary, and I mentioned that it had been a stressful time. I'm writing this diary because I don't like to leave things hanging and also to celebrate Jim's life. Join me below the fold for more.
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I've known Roy for years and years. He and a group of his/my friends like to meet at various venues (and one in particular) in the South of Market area of San Francisco to socialize and to discuss issues of mutual interest and sometimes just to party. Years ago, Jim would occasionally join Roy and the rest of us, however Jim was a very politically active person in San Francisco (local politics). So, Jim was usually either working or down at City Hall in a committee meeting. Roy and Jim own a printing business in the SOMA. In the later years of his life, he developed a heart condition and was told not to drink (alcoholic beverages), so he stopped going out with Roy completely. Jim ran for city supervisor of District 6 in San Francisco a couple of years ago, and did some of his campaigning and raising of funds at these various venues in the SOMA area (which I enthusiastically attended). On July 19th, Roy returned home from an event and found Jim on the floor unconscious. He had had a stroke and was rushed to UCSF Medical Center. The stroke was massive, and he finally passed away on August 3. We had a beautiful memorial for Jim on August 17 at Slims in the SOMA. It was well attended, and there were some prominent people there to talk about Jim's life and his contributions to the City.
There was a column about Jim's life (and death) in the Bay Area Reporter. From that column:
Jim Meko, a gay longtime activist in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, died Monday, August 3 at the age of 66.
According to his longtime partner, Roy Carr, 77, Mr. Meko had had a stroke July 19.
Mr. Meko, who had chaired the Western SOMA Citizens Planning Task Force and for years served on the city's entertainment commission, was known as a tough but respected advocate who cared deeply about maintaining the area's gay heritage and affordability.
Supervisor Jane Kim, who defeated Mr. Meko for the District 6 seat in 2010, called him a "stalwart" advocate.
"He loved the South of Market," said Kim, whose district includes SOMA. "He was very much in love with the neighborhood and passionate about it."
While Mr. Meko was sometimes critical of Kim, she called him "passionate and tenacious," and said, "You knew it came from a place of care."
Mr. Meko was born February 13, 1949 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He majored in communications at the University of Minnesota. He moved to San Francisco in 1977, and he and Carr eventually started Best Impression printing business.
Mr. Meko's sister, Jeanne Hall, of St. Paul, said, "He bloomed when he went out to San Francisco," and it was "wonderful" that he could move to the city "and have as many opportunities as he did to be of service and help. It was a good fit."
Hall said her brother was "kind of a quiet, thinker guy," but it was obvious early on that he was gifted.
In an email, longtime friend Gayle Rubin said, "Jim Meko has been an irreplaceable guardian of South of Market for nearly two decades. His tireless activism and deep knowledge of land use and zoning issues have been a major force in keeping Western SOMA hospitable to gay bars, small businesses, and long term residents Many people who have benefitted from his work are unaware of his many contributions to the vitality of this neighborhood."
There is much more in the article if you're interested. And, here is a video that he made when he ran for city supervisor.
Rest in peace, my friend. You will be missed by many.
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August 30, 2015
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