Jean Gies Beaulieu and husband Richard
Ft. Smith AR
April 3, 1944 -- Jan. 11, 2011
Richard Beaulieu, 66, died suddenly on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at home.
He was born on April 3, 1944, to Hyacinthe and Marguerite (Rainville) Beaulieu in Highgate Center, Vermont, and grew up working on his family's large dairy farm. His first language was French, but he learned English quickly in grade school. He graduated from St. Michael's College in Winooski, Vermont, in 1967 and attended graduate school at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, studying the Philosophy of Mathematics.
He taught philosophy at Harris Teachers College and at St. Louis Community College. He married Norma Jean Gies in Monroeville, Ohio, on June 26, 1971. Not seeing a brilliant future in either farming or philosophy, he answered a "help wanted" ad in the newspaper and was hired by ABF as a management trainee at their St. Louis freight terminal. After a suitable period working on the dock, he was made Operations Manager there.
In the 1980s he was transferred to Cleveland, Ohio, where he became Branch Manager of the ABF terminal there; and he was then transferred to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, as manager of their break bulk terminal. In 1990 he was moved to Atlanta, Georgia, as Regional Vice President of Operations; and in 2000 he came to the Fort Smith, Arkansas, General Office as Vice President of Transportation. He retired from ABF in 2007. He ran the Peachtree 6K Road Race a dozen years in a row; he ran one full 26-mile marathon, vowed never to do it again, and didn't. He enjoyed long distance bicycling. In retirement his hobbies included woodworking, gardening, hiking, target shooting, reading, and travel.
For several years he served on the board of Bost, Inc., an organization that provides services for the developmentally disabled. He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant sister; his mother- and father-in-law Roman and Norma (Weisenberger) Gies; and his brother-in-law James Gies.
He is survived by his wife, Jean; his brother Paul Beaulieu of Cambridge, Massachusetts; his brother Louis Beaulieu and wife, Pauline, of Nashua, New Hampshire; his niece Anne Parker, her husband Josh, and sons Cael and Zack of Lafayette, Colorado; his nephew Michael Beaulieu, wife Becca, and daughter Elena Jean of Billings, Montana; his niece Victoria Gies of Bellingham, Washington; his nephew Brett Gies of Findlay, Ohio; and his sister-in-law Susan Gies of Norwalk, Ohio. His family and many friends will miss him profoundly.
Rosary will be said at 6 p.m. Friday, January 14, at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be said at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 15, at Christ the King Catholic Church. Burial will take place the following week at St. Paul Cemetery in Norwalk, Ohio under the direction of Walker Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be: A.J. Phillips, Don Reynolds, Murray Babb, Jim Keenan, Wes Kemp, and Roy Slagle.
NOTE: Richard's body will then be transported to Norwalk OH where a service will take place at the Walker Funeral Home on West Main St. on Wednesday, Janary 19, at 1 PM. Burial will follow at St. Paul Cemetery.
