Obituary: Elaine Beaudoin

As received from the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home:

Elaine (Rowe) Beaudoin died at Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital in Laurium, Michigan, on December 30, 2023. Elaine was born on October 18, 1929, and was the third child of eleven born to Gertrude (Amala) and Oakley Rowe. She was born at her family’s home in Centennial Heights, Calumet Township, with the assistance of a midwife. 

Elaine attended school in Centennial Heights until the family moved to Calumet in 1943. She graduated from Calumet High School in 1946. During her time in school, Elaine worked at small jobs in Calumet, babysitting and also making Easter baskets at the local five and ten store. After high school she went to Marquette and graduated from the Upper Peninsula Beauty Academy. She returned to Calumet and worked for a time at Bertha Peterlin’s Beauty Shop, but she could see there were not enough customers for the number of stylists at the shop. One day Elaine went into Turner’s Bakery and when she could see Mrs. Turner needed help, she offered her assistance. Mrs. Turner offered her a job on the spot and Elaine helped for many years with both customer sales and writing payroll checks. 

At a New Year’s Eve dance in 1948, Elaine met the love of her life, Leonard Beaudoin. After his graduation from Michigan Tech they married on November 4, 1950, at St. Joseph’s Church in Lake Linden, and moved to Milwaukee, where Leonard began his career with the Allen Bradley Company. 

Elaine worked at the Milwaukee Insurance Company in Assigned Risks until she and Leonard built their first home in the suburb of New Berlin, and started their family. In 1975, Leonard’s job moved the family to Shawnee, Oklahoma. At the time, their oldest daughter, Julie, was married, their second daughter, Laura, was in college, and their two sons moved with them—Neal as a senior in high school and Dean at 10 years old. After Leonard retired and Dean graduated from college, Leonard and Elaine moved to the property they owned in Cedar Bay and built a new home. Leonard died shortly after of a sudden heart attack, in 1991, when he and Elaine were out snowmobiling on a Sunday afternoon. 

Throughout Elaine’s life, she enjoyed many volunteer opportunities in her local community. In Oklahoma, she was an active hospital volunteer, was a member of many clubs, and also served as three club presidents. After moving home to Calumet, she enjoyed volunteering at the Calumet Hospital and also the Coppertown Museum. 

Elaine is survived by her four children, Julie Marie (Royce) Vlasnik of St. Michael, Minnesota; Laura Jean Beaudoin of St. Paul, Minnesota; Neal Leonard Beaudoin of Cedar Bay, Michigan; and Dean Eugene (Heather) Beaudoin of Chandler, Oklahoma. Elaine has two grandchildren, Amber Vlasnik, of San Diego, California, and Natalie (Adam) Berg of Delano, Minnesota, and five great-grandchildren, Clara and Julian Vlasnik and Madelyn, Henrietta, and Zachary Berg. 

Elaine is preceded in death by her husband, Leonard; her mother and father; two brothers, Ken Rowe and Buddy Rowe, and three sisters, Dolores Ryding, Loretta Macomber, and Tina Gawlick; niece Jacalyn Rowe and nephews Kerry Liimatta, Ken (Bergy) Liimata, Doug Ryding, and Roger Macomber. She is survived by brothers Jay Rowe and Mark (Colleen) Rowe and sisters Judy Jarve, Carolyn (Buxy) (Jack) Barry, and Jean Cygan and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. 

Elaine wanted to acknowledge the many wonderful neighbors and friends in all the places they lived. She especially wanted to acknowledge her son Neal, who moved from Carson City, Nevada, after Leonard died. Neal gave up his career racing motocross bikes to help his Mom, and he allowed Elaine to live out her life in Cedar Bay. Neal will continue to be a good neighbor at the Cedar Bay property. 

No public visitation will be held.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday January 5, 2023 at 11:00 AM in the St. Paul the Apostle Church in Calumet with Fr. Gracious Pulimoottil to officiate.

The  Erickson-Crowley-Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet is assisting the family with the arrangements.

Online condolences can be left for the family at ericksoncrowleypeterson.com

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy memorials may be given to Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital Auxiliary 205 Osceola Street Laurium, MI 49913 in Elaine’s memory.