Rose Alma C. Beauregard Pelletier

Rose Alma C. (Beauregard) Pelletier, 94, of New Bedford, died Thursday, October 21, at St. Luke's Hospital after a brief and sudden illness. She was born in Norwich, Connecticut to Adorie and Rose Alma Beauregard, who had both immigrated from Quebec, Canada just a few years earlier. Her mother died at childbirth, and her father soon married Clara (Grenier) Beauregard, the only mother she knew, loved, and cherished since infancy.

Mrs. Pelletier was married for nearly 70 years to Robert L. Pelletier. They were married in 1940 at St. Anthony of Padua church in New Bedford. They lived in their "cute little white house" in the north end of New Bedford before moving together almost two years ago to Hathaway Manor Extended Care Facility in New Bedford, where she thrived and enjoyed life. They had also lived for over two years at The Cedars Assisted Living in Dartmouth, and they also enjoyed many winters at their modest home in Hollywood, Florida.

Mrs. Pelletier lived an unpretentious life of love, curiosity, wonder and passion. She loved reading, including the newspaper from front to back, and she enjoyed playing the organ or piano for herself and others, always encouraging a sing-along, or even a dance. She was passionate about learning, and about history, the exploits of the Marquis de Lafayette, the plight of Native Americans, and of her Franco-American culture and her beloved French language. She volunteered with the girl scouts, at area hospitals, and she enjoyed knitting baby hats and booties, which she donated to hospitals or sent the Native American missions in the West. Over the years she was affiliated with the New Bedford Driving Club, The Catholic Women's Club, La Ligue des Présidents, Les Dames Patronesses, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus, among others. Before she was married, she worked as a hairdresser at Hacking's and at her sister's business, Viola's Beauty Salon, both on Acushnet Avenue in the north end.

In addition to her husband, she leaves behind three children: daughter Pauline Cormier and her husband Ronald of Melbourne,

Florida, and their three children, Garrett Cormier and his wife Betty Lou of Taylorsville, North Carolina, and great grand-children Hailey Cormier of Fairhaven, MA and Evelyn Cormier of Taylorsville, NC, granddaughter Christine Viola Rose Cormier of Portland, Oregon, and granddaughter Angela Cormier and her children Jayden and Kamryn Cormier, all of Palm Bay, Florida. She also leaves behind her daughter Suzanne Pelletier and her husband Giulio Massano of North Dartmouth, and son Michael Pelletier and his companion Jeri Jane Oliver of Hawthorne, California. Mrs. Pelletier was also the mother of the late Robert L. Pelletier, Jr. of Hollywood, Florida, and the sister of Viola (Beauregard) Messier and Della (Beauregard) Cardinal, both formerly of New Bedford.

The family would like to acknowledge the loving and compassionate care given over the years by the staffs at Fairhaven Senior Social Day Care, Active Day of Fairhaven, Brandon Woods Adult Day Health Care, The Cedars Assisted Living, the staff of Senior Whole Health, Coastline Elderly Services, and the numerous home health aides who added so much to her life. We would like to especially thank Dr. Ahmet Dirican of New Bedford, the entire wonderful staff at Hathaway Manor who made her last years so joyous, and the truly compassionate, caring, and efficient staff at St. Luke's hospital, from the emergency room to palliative care. We thank them all, in addition to all those we may have overlooked. Mrs. Pelletier truly lived a life of love, simplicity, courage, and tenacity, and even though she is now gone from this earth, her spirit lives on in the lives of those who were touched by hers.

Her Family will receive friends on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 in the Waring-Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute at Fairlawn, 180 Washington St., Fairhaven from 10-11am prior to a Funeral Service at 11am in the funeral home. A brief service will then follow at the chapel of Sacred Hearts Cemetery in New Bedford.