Leo Joseph Beaudry

With much sadness, we announce the passing of our dear father, Leo Joseph Beaudry. Dad had recently said his goal was to make it to his 100th birthday, after which he would “then be ready to go home”. Upon achieving and celebrating that milestone on November 20th, the Lord reached out on the 22nd and took him home as he slept.

Dad maintained a very active lifestyle up until his last few weeks. He loved to email and skype, and was always in search of a competitive game of checkers, cribbage, or canasta. Most of all he loved being outdoors travelling on his scooter throughout the Hunter’s Creek community, often being sighted as he made his way to Publix or on his daily one-mile trek to Holy Cross church. He often spoke of the beautiful spots he had discovered in his travels, noting the kindness and consideration he experienced from strangers whom he’d met along the way. Dad especially loved, and was loved by, his adopted family at Spring Hills Assisted Living where he had resided since 2009.

Born in 1916 to Telesphore & Margaret (Beatch) Beaudry in Cutknife, Saskatchewan, Leo was the oldest of 8 children. His sister Dorothy McKeown currently resides in Canada. Brothers, Earl (1919-2016), Lawrence (1921-1930), Edward (1926-2010), Charles (1931-1931), Leonard (1933-1936), and sister Rita (1925-1981) predeceased Leo.

When Dad was only 17, his parents enrolled him into a boarding school at Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. No one had explained that the classes were taught in French, so most of his first year was spent learning the language! He left school to help run the family farm in his second year after his father was fatally injured in a tragic farming accident.

Years later, Dad completed an accounting and administration course that led to jobs in the rural towns of Spalding and Humboldt working as a Municipal Secretary and School Unit Secretary (1939-1953). In 1953, he relocated our family to the province’s capital city of Regina after accepting the positions of Deputy Provincial Secretary, Superintendent of Insurance, and as the Registrar of Companies with the Saskatchewan Government. He retired in 1977 having authored many significant pieces of legislation such as “The Direct Seller’s Act” which is still in effect today. Throughout his career, and even in retirement, Dad was actively involved in Boy Scouts, Knights of Columbus, the Food Bank, and the Federal Business Development Bank, to name but a few.

At the age of 88, Dad left the frigid Saskatchewan winters to relocate in Orlando with his son Duane and family. He quickly fell in love with the Hunter’s Creek Community, and often joked he wished he’d moved there years earlier. He was blessed with an abundance of many new friends and neighbors in his new environment. His kindness and infectious smile blended in well with his new surroundings, and he loved bringing joy into the lives of everyone he met.

The streets of Hunter’s Creek will forever miss this incredible man from Saskatchewan with his newsboy cap, smile, and a wave as he headed out on his little red scooter on his way to daily mass, the bank, dry cleaners, local shops, drug store, or to say hello to his Publix friends. We sincerely appreciate the Publix staff and management over the years who graciously made Dad feel like family. We are also grateful for the many residents of the Hunter’s Creek community who always showed interest in his safety and wellbeing, especially when he would sometimes appear to be too far from home, caught in the rain, or stranded with his scooter! He often noted that the young people in the community gave him great hope for future generations to come.

Leo is now home with the Lord, along with the loved ones who have gone before him, including his much loved granddaughter Cheryl Williams. He is survived by his six children: Donna (Ken) Nelson of New Zealand, Duane (Kimberley) Beaudry of Orlando, Ron (Debbie) Beaudry of Battleford, Shirley Williams of Regina, Leonard (Judy) Beaudry of Victoria, and Arlene (Arnie) Krenn of Oregon. Leo is also survived by his 15 Grandchildren, 16 Great-Grandchildren, and 9 Great-Great-Grand- children! In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Holy Cross in his remembrance. (12600 Marsfield Avenue, Orlando, FL, 32837)

Arrangements under the direction of Family Funeral Care, Orlando, FL.