Edward Samuel Beaulieu

PORTLAND – Edward Samuel Beaulieu, 84, of Portland passed away on April 29, 2016. Edward Samuel Beaulieu, known as “Uncle Ed” to his family, is being remembered by family and friends with many superlatives: overly-proud, overly-generous, overly-caring, overly-appreciative and, above all, a role model in perseverance. “I saved for 30 years to buy my van,” he recalled about the ’85 Chevy van he purchased. That van allowed his mother to more easily transport him to the Maine Mall, the grocery store and to visit family. Adapted with a lift for his wheelchair, this van gave Ed the mobility that most people take for granted. His physical limitations did not define his life; they were simply a necessary daily hurdle. Crutches and wheelchairs did not stand in his way; they enabled him to get around. “I worked at a plant in Massachusetts where we made gaskets,” Ed described his work. “Those gaskets were used everywhere---even in the space program. I also worked at a shoe shop in Westbrook, ran my own small store on Albion Rd in Windham and ran the register at my father’s bakery in Windham.” Ed was born in Fort Kent, Maine on June 26, 1931 but followed the path that many French Canadians traveled: Van Buren, Madawaska, Augusta, Lewiston, Windham, Portland, Scarborough and Boston. He remembered the flood that soaked up Lewiston’s Little Canada in 1936, causing his family to move. Caring for a hurt squirrel was one of his favorite memories of living on Anderson St in Portland. Living in Windham meant running a small store on Albion Rd, assisting with the family bakery and later assisting with the family restaurant on Rt 302. In Scarborough, Ed was a fixture at his parents’ used furniture business on Rt 114, mingling with customers and showing them chairs, tables and bureaus that they needed for homes, camps and dorm rooms. Delivering the mail to every room was Ed’s responsibility as the ‘mailman’ when he lived at The Haven (The Viking) in Cape Elizabeth in the mid 2000’s. He knew everyone in the facility and carried that love for every resident to St. Joseph’s Manor when he moved there in 2009. Ed’s contributions to Saint Joseph’s were recognized by the leadership team and he is remembered as a proud, outgoing and caring member of the St Joe’s family who easily struck up conversations and found common ground with other residents of Franco-American descent. Niece Joanne Tenney summed up Ed’s compassion this way: “He offered wheelchair rides to my kids and showed my son Shane how to operate his wheelchair. I'm sure they weren't the only ones who got wheelchair rides! He was such a genuine humanitarian. He did it to remove their fear and satisfy their curiosity. He was more concerned about others and making them feel comfortable, always. He was just such an amazing and compassionate person.” Driving a Ski-Doo on Highland Lake and “flooring it” over ice fishing traps is a memory that makes his nephew Mike McLellan of Windham laugh out loud. “He’d turn the machine around real slow and then drive it full throttle, right at us” chuckled McLellan. “It was kinda like dodge ball! We didn’t care because he was having so much fun!” Nephew Bruce McLellan summarized his tribute to Ed: “When I was very young he had a microscope. And sometimes he'd let me look through it. He would talk in a wide-eyed whispery way, as if it was a great secret or that we might alter the microscopic objects with our presence. Uncle Ed had an enthusiastic view of everyday miracles--- a spider’s web, a cat’s idiosyncratic behavior, dew on morning grass. He was a scientist amazed by the natural beauty and curious about the mystery behind all things.” “He would read “Popular Mechanics” and “Popular Science” magazines to learn how things worked---and learn about new discoveries. He’d type up information that he read to keep his fingers limber and reinforce his understanding,” recalled nephew Todd Beaulieu. “He kept these notes and passed them along to me and my brother. It was his way of connecting with a part of the world that he loved but was not very accessible to him.” “When Ed was younger and we were building our camp on Little Sebago, Ed would help my husband, Philip, remove rocks by prying them loose with a crowbar,” recounted his sister-in-law Jean Beaulieu. “He was a big part of our lives because he was so close to Philip. Some of my favorite memories are of playing cards together and Ed telling corny jokes. This was a big part of every family get-together and Ed had a great sense of humor.” Thanks to his brothers, Philip and John, Ed survived a fire that demolished his family’s home on Albion Rd in Windham in 1954. Philip also built a home for Ed and his mother on Rt 114 in Scarborough that included an elevator and wider door openings to accommodate his wheelchair. “My bond with my own brothers is cement-strong because I learned how important sibling relationships were at an early age, watching my Dad and Ed interact,” niece Leigh (Penny) Fisher reflected appreciatively on her father Philip’s relationship with Ed. “How is Amos doing?” Ed would routinely ask of his 14-year-old cat who moved to his nephew Jim Beaulieu’s house when Ed made the difficult decision to move to a nursing home. He loved imagining Amos curled under the wood stove at Jim’s house. “There was no doubt who the most important member of my family was to Ed,” laughed Jim. “I’m also glad my family got to spend time flying kites at Fort Williams with Ed as they were growing up. I can’t tell you how many kites Ed lost in Portland Harbor!” Ed was part of an extended family that stretched well beyond his genealogical lines. Having attended Thanksgiving with his brother Philip’s family for over 20 years, he was also known as ‘Uncle Ed’ to the Baldwin family centered in the Nobleboro area. “He was always upbeat,” remembered Bob Baldwin. “No matter what, he was optimistic. He never had a bad word to say about anyone---and that’s rare.” In addition to the Baldwins, he was also considered ‘family’ by the Dispasquas in Scarborough. Tom Dispasqua was Ed’s caregiver for 10 years and welcomed Ed to his home for special occasions. Despite his physical challenges, Ed outlived all of his siblings (Philip Beaulieu of Durham, Janine Loretta (Sis) McLellan of Windham and John Beaulieu of Casco) as well as his parents, Laura Michaud Beaulieu and Samuel Beaulieu, both of Scarborough. Celebrating his life are his sister-in-law Jean (Baldwin) Beaulieu of Nobleboro, brother-in-law Wesley McLellan of Casco and sister-in-law Joy (McFarland) Beaulieu of Zephyr Hills, Florida. While Ed did not have children of his own, he significantly influenced his nieces and nephews: Bruce McLellan (Rochester, NY), Crystal McLellan Copp (Freeport), Judy McLellan Cronan (Windham), Michael McLellan (Gorham), Caitlyn Beaulieu Tenney Adamson (Indiana), Joanne Beaulieu Tenney (Cumberland), Juanita Beaulieu Tenney Mohn (Bridgton), Annette Beaulieu Tenney Fecteau (Poland), Leigh (Penny) Beaulieu Fisher (Durham), Todd Beaulieu (Durham) and James Beaulieu (Durham). His family also includes the residents and staff at The Haven and St. Joseph’s Manor, where he developed many friendships and received support that is deeply appreciated. Ed passed away on April 29, 2016 and will rest next to his parents in Scarborough Memorial Cemetery on Old Blue Point Road, Scarborough. His family and friends will celebrate all that he brought to this world on Sunday, May 22, 2016 at 3:00 pm with a graveside ceremony; this celebration of his life will continue at The Clambake at Pine Point, one of his favorite restaurants, immediately after the graveside ceremony. To celebrate and remember Edward Beaulieu in your own way, please watch this video compiled by his nephew Bruce McLellan: https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FHLqPvvS_U3s&h=5AQF-q3EP In lieu of flowers, please feel free to contribute to the garden at Saint Joseph’s Manor, a place where Ed loved to converse with friends, watch squirrels or just soak in the sunshine. Contributions should be sent to Edward Beaulieu Memorial, Saint Joseph’s Manor, 1133 Washington Ave, Portland, ME 04103. To express condolences and to participate in Ed’s online tribute, please visit www.dolbyfuneralchapels.com.

Edward Samuel Beaulieu

June 16, 1931 - April 29, 2016

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