Richard Beauchamp
courtesy photo
Richard Beauchamp
PAGE, ARIZONA — Richard W. Beauchamp, age 71, passed away Monday, Dec.10, 2018, in Page, Arizona. Rich was born in Los Angeles in 1947, to Margaret and Gresham Beauchamp.
Rich was the second eldest of four children, (Jeannette Dupre, Carolyn Marie Ephgrave, and John Gresham Beauchamp). The family moved to the Seattle area in the late 1950s. He graduated from Sammamish (Washington) High School in 1965. He enlisted in the Navy and married his high school sweetheart, Susan. The young couple divorced in 1971. He had a son, Michael in 1970, and a daughter, Serena in 1972.
Rich received a BS in electrical engineering in 1975 and later took graduate courses at the Naval War College.
He went directly from being an enlistee to the Reserves in 1971 until 1995. He flew as a navigator on P-2s and P3s tracking Russian submarines during the Cold War.
Rich had many hobbies and was a truly hyperactive adult. He had to constantly be doing a project or reading a book.
After two “failed” marriages, Rich found his soul mate, Kathryn Johnson. They were married on Veterans Day in 2001 with the idea that they would live in her home state, Montana, when able. They both enjoyed Civil War living history and repeated their vows in 2002 at a public reenactment. He retired in 2007 from United Airlines in Illinois to live in Polson.
Rich was preceded in death by his father, Gresham and his mother, Margaret.
Living are all his siblings; his children, (Mike and Serena); Mike’s wife, Kim; and his grandchildren, Lily and Scarlett Beauchamp from Rhode Island and Reyna and Jaden Masterson from Washington.
The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Dec. 19, 2018, at the Polson Community Church, 1814 First Street E. The burial will take place at the military section of the Lakeview Cemetery, 2000 Hillcrest Dr. There will be a luncheon at the church after the burial. For those needing closure, there will be a viewing at the church from 9-10 a.m. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at: www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
If you wish to provide a memoriam, please send donations to the American Legion, Polson Post No. 112, P.O. Box 515, Polson, MT 59860 - to help support the 100th anniversary convention being held in Polson in 2019.
Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.
