Growing up in Northern Ontario in the 1930s, Maurice Beaudoin dreamed of having his own land where he could farm and raise a family. At 18, that dream took him west to Alberta’s Wild Rose country, where he bought a farm, had six sons and worked his land for the next 73 years.
The Beaudoin farm, which he shared with his wife Lucille Gosselin, was a boisterous place. Family visits turned into friendly debates between father and sons about farming equipment.
“When they would come over, they would gather around and have a debate on the best one out there. It was fun to watch when I was around,” says Beaudoin’s daughter-in-law Cindy Beaudoin.
Died on April 18, 2020
McLennan, AB
Age 91
Along with spending time with his wife and sons, Beaudoin enjoyed playing cards, dancing, cooking – especially his crepes and milk soup — and singing. He loved spending time at the lake and was known for welcoming strangers into their home and helping out in any way he and Lucille could.
“He would literally give you the shirt off his own back, and people knew that,” Cindy says.
Beaudoin also battled Parkinson’s disease for more than 30 years but remained one of the most gentle men that Cindy Beaudoin has ever met.
“Since my own father was a couple thousand miles away, he was a very loving father to me,” Beaudoin says. “A true legacy in my eyes.”
This story was first published in MacLean’s as part of a a collaborative project with Canadian journalism schools to document the lives of people who have died from COVID-19. To learn more about the project and to read the other obituaries, click here.