William F. Beauvais

Mass of Christian Burial for William F. Beauvais, 82, of Canton will be held on Monday, June 5, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Canton. Burial will follow in the St. Mary’s Cemetery. Bill died suddenly on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at the Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

Calling hours will be held on Sunday, June 4, 2017 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the O’Leary Funeral Home, Canton. Due to allergies, contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to St. Mary’s School, 2 Powers Street; Canton, New York 13617.

Bill is survived by his wife Eleanor “Ellie” Beauvais; four children, Maryellen (Mark) Cooke of Akwesasne; W. Joseph (Connie) Beauvais of Liberty, SC; Maryann (Hung) Tran of Attleboro, MA; Marybeth (Kris) Fletcher of Idaho Falls, ID; grandchildren, Patrick Kelly; W. Beau Kelly, Lauren Tran; Lindsay Walton and Sierra Jillson; and five step-grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter, Makenna Kelly. Also surviving are a sister, Phyllis Graham of Berwick, ME and many nieces and nephews.

Bill is predeceased by brothers, Alfred and Martin Beauvais and by sisters, Agnes Shepard and Catherine Kirwan.

Bill was born, October 5, 1934 in Burlington, Vt., the son of the late Alfred J. and Lillian (Rowley) Beauvais. He attended rural schools in Northern Vermont and graduated from Simsbury High School in Simsbury, CT. Bill enlisted with the US Air Force on December 7, 1953. Following his first enlistment Bill attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering, returning home before earning his degree to help support his family. Later, Bill again enlisted with the Air Force, where he was stationed at the Westover Air Force Base, which is part of the Strategic Air Command. Following his second enlistment, Bill married Eleanor Mary Sheehan at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Harvard, MA on July 15, 1961. Bill worked for Kaman Aircraft as a helicopter mechanic and then at Ensign-Bickford Explosives in Simsbury, testing explosives.

However, Bill’s true passion was farming. From 1968 to 1975 he managed a large dairy farm in Long Valley, New Jersey. While there, he was very active within the community, serving as Chairperson of Our Lady of the Mountain Parish Council, he was Chairman of the Morris County 4-H program and served as President of the Morris County Board of Agriculture. In 1975, he and Ellie along with the family moved to Canton where he became the manager of the SUNY Canton farm. Upon his retirement, Bill and family moved to their current residence in Morley. In his retirement Bill worked at Coakley Hardware all the while he operated “Beau Farm”, his Hobby Farm, where he continued to garden and raise a few animals. Here in Canton, Bill became an active member of the community.  He was a member of the New England Immigrants Club, a leader of the Morley Grasshopper’s 4-H club, a member of the American Legion, a member of the Knights of Columbus, a communicant of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Canton where he served as Lector, assisted with the Buildings and Grounds Committee as well as with the electronics in the church and school.

Memories and condolences may be shared online at www.olearyfuneralservice.com. The O’Leary Funeral Service of Canton is serving the family of William F. Beauvais.

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