Wallace E. Beaudoin, 91, was called home by our Heavenly Father on Friday, Jan 2, 2015. He died at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Wallace’s Traditional Catholic Latin Requiem Mass will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, January 10, 2015, at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Dickinson, with military honors provided by the Dickinson Honors Team. Visitation will be on Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to Mass time, at Ladbury Funeral Service. There will be a rosary at 7 p.m., Friday, at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Wallace “Wally” was born on May 14, 1923 to Joseph Aurius “Joe” and Hannah (Booke) Beaudoin in Dickinson, ND. The fourth of 14 children, he was raised in Dickinson. He graduated from Model High School and attended UND Department of Engineering, studying communications. He also attended Dickinson State College.
Wally had a passion for electronics that was sparked by his early interest in amateur “ham” radio. He was 16 years old when he took his test and obtained this radio license. This was an interest throughout his life and he read electronic schematics as if they were good novels.
In 1943, he began serving in the Army Air Corps during WWII and was stationed in Oregon and Calcutta, India as a radio communications specialist. He was honorably discharged in 1946.
On May 1, 1946, Wally married his love, Helen M. Anton at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Dickinson. Together for 67 years, they built six homes to accommodate their family of 6 children. Dancing was a common thread for most of their married life and they looked forward to these outings. The Lawrence Welk show was a weekly watch.
Life was one big experiment as he tinkered on projects throughout his life. He had a make-it-work attitude. Wally began drilling water wells in the late 1940’s, a trade he learned from his father. In the late 1950’s he was employed with the Motorola Corp. assisting with the technical operations at the Radar Base for a few years. He then continued with the well drilling business until his retirement in 2010. He had a heart of gold, a quick sense of humor and enjoyed a good game of poker.
Wally was a Traditional Catholic. He revered the sacred beauty of the Traditional Latin Mass and attended it regularly at the Guardian Angel’s Mission. He could be seen reading the Bible and other religious materials. Rosaries were a part of the daily prayers. These practices strengthened his faith in our Lord and Redeemer.
Wally is survived by his six children: Dennis, Dickinson; Rick (Joyce), Dickinson; Marla Johnson, Chetek Wis.; Judy (Jeff) Helfenstein, San Antonio Texas; Jolene (Warren) Pietsch, Minot; Tim Beaudoin, Dickinson, 17 Grandchildren and 17 Great-Grandchildren. Sisters: Arvella Holder, Marlease (Fran) Bogner, Marge (Tom) Gunderson and Diane Myers. Brothers: LeRoy “Pudge”(Jackie) and Kenny (Monica).
He was preceded in death by his wife Helen, who died Feb. 8, 2014; his parents; daughter-in-law Delores (Dennis) Beaudoin; Sisters: Dorothy Pfau, Jeanette Giles and LaVonne Zeren; Brothers: Lorne, Lester, Floyd and Tommy Beaudoin.
Wally enjoyed the new friends he met while he resided at Hawks Point since April 2014. These included not only the residents, but also the staff.
