Obituary of Joseph Normand Beausoleil

It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved father, husband, grandad, relative, and friend, Joseph (Joe) Normand Beausoleil, age 85. Dad passed away Saturday, January 23, 2016 at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital in Baytown, Texas after a long, valiant and determined battle against several illnesses. Dad was a fighter and wanted to stay with his beloved Joan for as long as possible. God blessed him, Joan, and our family beyond measure by allowing him to be on this earth an extra precious nine years. We love him, we shall miss him, we will never forget him, and we will cherish the memories forever. Dad was born on July 8, 1930 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island to Mr. Dieudonne Beausoleil, and Mrs. Aurelia Beausoleil and was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Alcide Beausoleil, Armand Beausoleil, and Lucien Beausoleil. Dad is survived by his loving wife Joan Bernadette Wright Beausoleil and children Bernard Michael (Debbie), Briand Joseph (Fiona), Gerald Normand (Mandy), Mark James ( Liz), Suzanne Martinna Kuempel (Russell), Luke Patrick (Ginna), and Pauline Elizabeth Moradi (Hossein). G-Dad is also survived by his grandchildren Brent Hodges, Ashley Kuempel, Nathan Beausoleil, Hanna Moradi, Matt Kuempel, Lauren Beausoleil, Leah Moradi, Bryn Beausoleil, Gabi Beausoleil, Louis Beausoleil, Nick Beausoleil, Will Beausoleil, Liam Beausoleil, Callum Beausoleil, and Olivia Beausoleil. Joe grew up in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He attended a Catholic Seminary in Joliette, Canada and Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket to become a Catholic priest. However, this was not meant to be due to his love of hockey and baseball. At the age of 16, his outstanding baseball skills led to an invitation by the Boston Red Sox to attend their training camp in Melbourne, Florida. His potential baseball career was interrupted by the Korean War. Instead of being drafted, Dad joined the United States Air Force and eventually obtained the rank of Tech Sergeant. His first tour of duty was in Burtonwood Air Force Base, England instead of Korea. That duty assignment would become a significant event in Dad's life. During this tour, he met his future wife of 63 years while shopping for cough drops at Lewis' Department Store in Liverpool, England. On October 25, 1952, Joseph Normand married Joan Bernadette Wright in Liverpool. While in the Air Force, Joe initially specialized in vehicle maintenance and advanced into electronic radar surveillance. This specialty provided tours of duty during the Cold War era in Prestwick, Scotland, Mallorca, Spain, Ft. Yukon, Alaska, Osceola, Wisconsin, and Berlin, Germany. Additional dramatic and memorable tours of duty were in San Antonio, Texas, New Brunswick, Canada, Westover, Massachusetts, and, finally, Jacksonville, Florida where he retired after 23 years of honorable service. While in Berlin, with no prior Scouting experience, Dad became Scout Master for Troop 46 where he nurtured a group of boys into accomplished achievers earning many merit badges and awards. His sons and other Scouts went on to become Eagle, Life and Star Scouts and he was awarded Scout Master of the Year, Wood Badge, and the Silver Beaver Awards. Through Dad's leadership, he and his family received The Berlin American Community Service Award, one of the highest awards bestowed to a military family for outstanding service to the military community. After military life, Dad built a German antique import business and careers with Marathon Oil Company, and Earthmans Funeral Corporation. Funeral services will be at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 411 Milam St., Liberty, Texas, 77575 at 3:00 on Sunday, January 31, 2016. Military honors and burial will take place at the Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, at 1:30pm on Monday, February 1, 2016. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org or Smile Train at www.smiletrain.org.