BEVERLY: Robert C. “Bob” Michaud, 69, died Monday, August 1, 2016 in the Beverly Hospital following an extended illness. He was the beloved husband of Cheryl L. (Cassidy) Michaud.
Born in Salem on November 15, 1946, he was the son of the late Armand E. and Helen M. (Claffey) Michaud. He was educated in the Salem public schools and had resided in Beverly for many years. Bob joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1963. He was with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and served two tours of duty in Vietnam before being honorably discharged on March 10, 1967. Bob had another family whom he was loyal and dedicated to, Mike, Buddy and Joe, his comrades in arms. The following is an excerpt dated Sept. 26, 1966 in the Washington Daily News, regarding a combat mission in Quang Tien Province, Vietnam: After a while, they got Mike onto a poncho and his friend, Michaud, crawled over to him. “I hadn’t known he was there, “Mike said, “but when they got ready to move me again, he said, ‘Cmon, Mike, we’re gonna go,’ and they carried me back to a haystack. They just took off with me - running. Four guys, Michaud, Doc, and two others. Someone gave him a cigarette. “I remember Michaud was kneeling beside me and I found I was holding his hand.” Mike said, laughing at the thought of it. “That was sort of sickening. Then we were just talking. Like I asked him to stay with me and he said, “I’m not going back THERE! They’re shooting back there!” Michaud helped lift him aboard the helicopter and that’s when Mike bequeathed his friend the can of meatballs and beans. Michaud just laughed and said, “Shut up.” “The only thing that made me quite misty-eyed or something, “ Mike said, “was when I was lying by the door, with my legs toward the door, and Michaud slapped me on the leg and said, ‘Take it easy.’ “That made me feel awful good.”
Bob spent forty years working for the U.S. Postal Service, with the last thirty-eight years in Wenham before his retirement. He was admired by many on his route for his dedication and always looking out for those on his route – an “old time mailman.” Bob enjoyed reading the newspaper at sunrise, sitting in his car with a coffee at either Independence Park or Lynch Park.
In addition to his beloved wife of thirty-two years, he is survived by three sons, Christopher Michaud and his wife, Jessica of Ossipee, NH, Jamie Michaud and his wife, Nicole of Salem and Paul Gemmellaro of Ft. Lauderdale, FL: two grandchildren, Michael and Kyleigh Michaud; a brother, Richard Michaud and his wife Susan of Ipswich and a niece, Michelle Starr and a nephew, Doug Michaud.
His funeral service will be held on Thursday in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 4 Ocean St., Beverly at 3 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. There are no visiting hours. Expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the Greater Beverly Y.M.C.A. 245 Cabot St., Beverly, MA 01915 or to the Fisher House – Boston, Attn: Jen DeLuca, P.O. Box 230, S. Walpole, MA 02071.