Oregon Media Insiders

Brian was a guy who had a nice way with a story. It didn't hurt that he was a big college sports fan.

Condolences to his family, he was the Oregonian's best sports columnist (and probably still is) the past few years.

Brian was a nice person. Wrote good takeouts and features. He wasn't really a columnist. But he was classy as heck and a person that was well respected in the news room.

I often chafed at his sports columns. Homerism disagrees with me. But it was always obvious that (a) he was a superb writer and (b) he cared more than most -- about people, kids, the community etc. There ought to be more people like him.

This circulated just now at the Oregonian:

"A public memorial service for Brian will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9 in the Agnes Flanagan Chapel at Lewis & Clark College. Everyone, of course, is invited to attend.

"The family is planning a reception following the service, but it can't be at Lewis & Clark, so they are looking for a place close to the college.

"You may send condolences to:
Elissa Meehan & Family
7619 S.W. 32nd Ave.
Portland, Ore. 97219

"The family plans a paid obituary in The Sunday Oregonian.

"With the blessing and encouragement of his family, a group of his friends are planning to set up a Brian T. Meehan Memorial Fund to each year award a college scholarship to a deserving Oregon high school baseball player. Please stay tuned for details on this."

This is so sad, Meehan was a solid writer and seemed like a good person. When the M's get good again, I'll think of Brian Meehan.

well, if we go back decades, it used to be that a staffer or retired staffer could expect a longer and more prominent writeup at death than the average joe. since then the obituary policy became firmer and firmer, until no one was satisfied with what the O gave them, but at least the paper provided obits for all. then came the idea to pick one interesting life and write it as a feature story. now if the O picked one of its own for that special honor, some people -- surely not the fair, generous souls who comment on the O's motives on this and other blogs, but some people-- would suspect the choice was not entirely objective. so I think a paid obit is a good solution, and though I knew brian only slightly, I suspect he would agree. --no longer a quick brown fox.