Collette Jean “Teddy” Suffern Meagher, a longtime resident of Mercer County and Catholic educator in the Diocese of Trenton, died Dec. 7. She was 70.
Born in New Orleans, Mrs. Meagher graduated from Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville. She held a bachelor’s degree in English from The College of New Jersey, Ewing, and also earned her Orton-Gillingham certification in 2016. She went on to teach fellow educators the multisensory approach to phonics, reading and literacy.
Beginning in 2004, Mrs. Meagher taught a variety of elementary grade levels in St. Ann School, Lawrenceville, where she served for 18 years until her retirement in 2022.
Prior to St. Ann School, she taught in a Catholic school in Washington, D.C. She began her teaching journey in Notre Dame High School in 1998, teaching English until 2001. Prior to becoming an educator, she was the tuition administrator for Notre Dame from 1990 to 1998. She also worked as a parish administrative assistant in Incarnation Church, Ewing, from 1986 to 1990.
Mrs. Meagher was an active member of St. Ann Parish since 2004 and before that was involved in Incarnation Parish since 1979.
She is survived by her husband of 51 years, William (Bill) Meagher, III; six children; 14 grandchildren; several siblings and other family members including numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, students, neighbors and friends.
Funeral services will begin with a viewing Dec. 13 from 3 to 7 p.m. in Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Rd., Lawrenceville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Dec. 14 at 12:30 p.m. in St. Ann Church, 1253 Lawrence Rd., Lawrenceville, N.J. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, 1200 Cedar Lane, Hamilton.
Memorial donations may be made to the Children’s Educational Lifeline in St. Ann School, which provides tuition support to school families facing emergencies. Donations may be mailed to Children’s Educational Lifeline (CEL), St. Ann School, 34 Rossa Ave., Lawrenceville, N.J. 08648.