Roman Meshon, 36; taught English at Japanese school

ROMAN MESHON

Roman Carl Meshon never bragged about his accomplishments, but he did tout the success of his students at the Blue Hawaii English Language School in Kochi, Japan, which Mr. Meshon founded in 2001.

"He was modest and never showed off," said Mr. Meshon's father, Steve of Sudbury. "The one time he did show off was when his students won awards in English-speaking competitions, by reading a poem or a speech."

Mr. Meshon, a Sudbury native, drowned Sept. 17 while surfing near Kochi. He was 36 and had lived in Japan the past 12 years.

Mr. Meshon was born to Steve and Nancy (Hagebak) Meshon. He graduated from Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School and earned a bachelor's degree in economics and Southeast Asian studies from the College of William & Mary.

After studying abroad in Japan his junior year and becoming fluent in spoken and written Japanese, Mr. Meshon moved to Kochi after graduation. He worked as a talk-show host for several Japanese broadcasting companies and as the coordinator for international relations for the JET Program, a Japanese exchange and teaching program. He also taught English as Kochi University of Technology, Shikoku Medical Engineering College, and Tosa Women's College.

At Blue Hawaii, he was a teacher, as well as the administrator for about 300 students ranging from 2 to 82 years old.

"He was electric and wanted to make teaching a very fun experience," his father said. "He was a foreigner, but he presented new methods to old values."

Mr. Meshon brought a multitude of practices and rituals to the classroom with singing, dancing, meditation, and yoga. He learned how to play a traditional Japanese instrument, the shakuhachi, a vertical bamboo flute, and used it in the classroom. Mr. Meshon also learned to play the didgeridoo, a wind instrument of the indigenous Australians.

"He use to call it an edutainment school, because it represented unorthodox methods of teaching," his father said.

Three weeks before his death, Mr. Meshon married Chie Namba of Japan in Hawaii. During his honeymoon he learned how to surf and kite sail, and hoped to pursue these activities at Blue Hawaii.

In addition to his wife and parents, Mr. Meshon leaves a brother, Ben of Sudbury. A memorial service will be held today at 11 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church in Wayland.