James Gordon Meade Jr. was born in Philadelphia to James Gordon Meade and his wife. He attended the Tome School and graduated from the University of Maryland in 1939. At Maryland, he was a member of the football, lacrosse, baseball and track teams. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins and played for them in 1939 and 1940. According to his obituary, he was the first professional football player drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a paratrooper during the war. He was an officer in New Guinea. After the war, he was defensive backfield coach at the University of Maryland. In the mid-1950's, he was head football coach and athletic director at Furman University. Later in life, he owned the Meade Pipe Company in Havre de Grace, Maryland. He assisted in the creation of the Peachtree City Recreation Department and served on the board of directors of the McIntosh Arts Council in Peachtree City, Georgia.

Meade married Ann Boulden James of Havre de Grace, Maryland, on May 2, 1942, in St. Philip's Protestant Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He later married Julia Little. He had two sisters, Mrs. Ann Killingsworth and Mrs. Helen Morrison. Meade died following a heart attack on August 7, 1977, at his home in Georgia. He was buried at Westminster Gardens.

Sources:

(1) J. G. Meade, owned pipe firm, played for Redskins, coached; 11 Aug 1977; The Baltimore Sun; 21 – https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-j-g-meade-owned-pip/144579468/

(2) Married in Georgia, "The Baltimore Sun", May 3, 1942, p. 76 – https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-married-in-georgia-3/144579273/

(3) Miss James Engaged, "The Baltimore Sun", February 8, 1942, p. 70 – https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-miss-james-engaged-8/144578844/

(4) Ex-Player for Redskins James G. Meade Dies; 9 Aug 1977; The Atlanta Constitution; 21 – https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-ex-player-for-r/144580624/