Michael J. Meehan II of Southampton Dies April 15

Michael J. Meehan II, a financial services provider and rowing enthusiast from Southampton and New York City, died on April 15 at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He was 84 years old.

The son of Joseph A. Meehan and Katherine Sullivan, he was known to family and friends as “Mungo.” He grew up in Manhattan, where he attended the Loyola School and later graduated from the Canterbury School in Connecticut. He was an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was introduced to crew, a sport to which he would be devoted for the rest of his life.

Following his college graduation, he joined MJ Meehan and Company, a firm founded by his grandfather, as general partner and became a member of the New York Stock Exchange. Over the years, he held key positions at a number of financial services companies including Salomon Brothers (general partner); Fleet Meehan, Inc. (specialist); Kellogg Capital Markets (specialist); Steinberg Asset Management (managing director); and Offit Capital (consultant).

While he was active in many charitable endeavors, it was his work in supporting the sport of rowing which gave him the greatest joy. For 34 years, he was president of the National Rowing Foundation, raising funds to prepare and send the national team to the Olympics. In 2022, he was inducted into the foundation’s National Rowing Hall of Fame. For nearly two decades, he served on the Advisory Board of Row New York, a free program for inner city youth to teach them how to row and experience the many values the sport instills. In 1981, with his friend, Frank Shields, he co-founded the Power Ten Dinner, a fraternal gathering which honors individuals and celebrates rowing.

He participated in many regattas over the years. One of the highlights of his life was rowing at Henley with the Power Ten, where he joined fellow members of the Leander Club. By the time of his last race, he was 50 years old — the oldest rower at that time to ever compete there.

A social person in the best sense of the word, he was inextricably involved over many years with a number of clubs in New York City and Southampton. In New York, he was president of the Brook Club from 1994-2022, a governor of the Racquet Club from 1989-2017 and president of the Doubles Club from 1985-2014. He also served on the Executive Committee of The Pilgrims of the United States for over 40 years. In Southampton, he served as president of the Southampton Club from 2008-2022.

Above all else, he valued friendship. He will be missed by his family and by his many friends for his kindness, his generosity and his good will.

He is survived by his wife Dee de Ganay; his sons Michael Meehan Jr., and Alexander Duer Meehan; his sister Marcia Schaeffer; his niece Georgina Schaeffer; his stepsons Arthur de Ganay and Lambert de Ganay; and grandchild Alexandra Haley Meehan.

A celebration of life will take place at a later date.

Donations in his memory may be made to the National Rowing Foundation, Row New York or Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.