Beaton, Donald R., age 85, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 8, 2008 at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, after a courageous five month battle with leukemia.
He was the fifth child born to the late Daniel A. and Theresa A. (Coffey) Beaton of Lynn, born on November 4, 1922. A graduate of Lynn English High School, Newman Preparatory School, and the first graduating class of Merrimack College in 1951, he served as the Class President for 3 years.
Mr. Beaton was a veteran of World War II, serving for 37 months in the U.S. Air Force. He worked as a financial manager for the L.H. Hamel Leather Company before founding the Beaton Management Company. He also was an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Merrimack College for over 30 years.
Mr. Beaton has been an ambassador for education, serving as a member of the President's Council for Institutional Advancement of Merrimack College, Dr. Elmer S. Bagnall School Building Committee, Co-Chairman of Merrimack College's Capital Improvement Drive to construct a new gymnasium and infirmary, and a nine-year member of both the Groveland and Pentucket School Committees. Mr. Beaton believed in the importance of community involvement. He served as a director of the Family Bank, Bethany Homes, Haverhill Day Care Center, Penacook Place, and Northern Elder Transport. He was also a Trustee of the Haverhill YWCA. He was a Past President of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and a Chairman of the Groveland Finance Committee for many years. He was a Lector and Eucharistic Minister of St. Patrick's Church in South Groveland and Chairman of the local Archbishop Stewardship Appeal. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Haverhill, the Essex Club, and the Haverhill Country Club. In recognition for his civic and professional leadership, Mr. Beaton was a recipient of the Boys Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award, the B'Nai B'Rith Distinguished Service Award, Merrimack College Alumni of the Year Award, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce Award for Significant Contribution, and was a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow. Most important of all was his time spent with his family. He coached his children in baseball and basketball in Groveland for many years. He loved attending all of his children's and grandchildren's sporting events. He followed their progress throughout the country, traveling to Arizona and California for tennis matches, Tufts and Bates College for football games, Colby-Sawyer College for baseball and basketball, Emmanuel College for track meets, and Cooperstown, NY for baseball tournaments. In recent years, he had the opportunity to attend a NCAA Final Four and a Masters Tournament with his children.
He leaves his wife Mildred (Whelan) Beaton of Groveland, with whom he celebrated nearly 59 years of marriage; his daughter Jayne Martinese of Haverhill, sons Donald R. (Bob) Beaton Jr. and his wife Christine of Haverhill, William T. Beaton and his wife Kelly of Groveland, Thomas D. Beaton and his wife Ruth of West Newbury, and Terrence A. Beaton and his wife Lisa of West Newbury. He leaves his sixteen grandchildren, Tim, Amy, Tommy, Katie, Jeffrey, Alex, Lyndsay, Billy, Taylor, Shannon, Jimmy, Ryan, Connor, Patrick, Danny, and Caleigh. He was the brother of Dora Sullivan and the late Phyllis, Marge, and Richard. He was the brother-in-law of Maryjane Doyle, William Whelan, and the late Tom and Bob Whelan. He also leaves many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Thursday morning, June 12, 2008 in the C. Frank Linnehan and Son Bradford Funeral Home, 52 Salem Street, Bradford at 9:00 a.m. Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Patrick Church of Sacred Hearts Parish, 114 Center Street, South Groveland at 10:00 a.m. Interment with Military Honors will follow in Linwood Cemetery, Mill Street, Haverhill. Calling hours Wednesday, 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-9:00 p.m. Relatives and friends invited. Contributions in Donald's memory may be made to the Pentucket Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 36, Groveland, MA 01834 or to the Mass. General Hospital Fund, c/o Dr. Amrein, 55 Fruit St. Boston, MA 02114.