Maria “Ria” Meade, a Port Washington-based poet and artist who lost her sight to juvenile diabetes but never her creative spirit, died on June 4 from complications of the disease. She was 69.
Born on Oct. 19, 1955, in Manhasset, Meade grew up on Long Island, where she developed a lifelong love of the arts. A 1977 graduate of the University of Hartford Art School with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, she lost her vision at age 29.
Despite the profound shift in her life, Meade remained committed to creative expression. After a kidney transplant in 1985, Meade was given a guide dog through The Seeing Eye, “a philanthropic organization whose mission is to enhance the independence, dignity, and self-confidence of blind people through the use of Seeing Eye® dogs.” With the support of eight Labrador Retriever guide dogs over the years, she eventually returned to the arts, this time through poetry and prose.
Her work appeared in numerous publications, including “The Avocet,” “Oberon Literary Review,” and several Long Island anthologies. She also published three books of poetry which shared her innermost thoughts and the challenges she faced: “In the Sun,” “The Visit,” and “Someday a Sunrise.”
Meade lived across from the Port Washington Library, where she was an active member of reading and writing groups. She also engaged in pottery, looming, and public speaking, and often visited her brother Tom, in Montauk.
She is remembered by friends and family for her resilience, creativity, and deep love of community and the arts. Ria is survived by her brother, Tom, and his wife, Bess; her sister-in-law, Bless; and her devoted sister, Anne. She was predeceased by her parents, Mary and George; and her brothers, Jim, Jerry, and Chris.
