Mildred W. Beaton, of Groveland passed away Saturday, Jan. 16, with her family by her side. She was the wife of Donald R. Beaton who passed away in 2008.
Born in Lynn, she was the daughter of Thomas J. and Mildred (Killen) Whelan. Mildred and Donald were born five days apart and met in the first grade. They were friends from the beginning, and started dating when he returned from service in World War II. They married in a double ring ceremony in 1949, and, in 1956, moved to Groveland to raise their family. She was a graduate of Lynn English High School and Salem Teacher’s College. She taught at the Kathleen Dell School, Andover Institute of Business and Merrimack College before becoming a professor at Northern Essex Community College in the early 1970s. She also worked with her husband, and then her son, Terry, at Beaton Management Company, Haverhill. In college she played on the basketball and volleyball teams. In her adult life she loved to play tennis at Cedardale Groveland and Ward Hill. She also was an avid skier. With her husband Don she never missed any of her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events until declining health prevented her from attending the games. She was a member of the board of directors of the Haverhill YWCA, and an active participant in St. Patrick’s Parish. She was also a Girl Scout leader.
Beaton leaves her five children and their spouses, Jayne Anne Beaton, Donald (Bob) and Christine Beaton, William and Kelly Beaton, Thomas and Ruth Beaton, and Terrence and Lisa Beaton; grandchildren Tim and fiancée Erin, Amy Burke and husband Chris, Tommy and wife Robyn, Katie Allen and husband Rob, Jeffrey, Alexander, Lyndsay, William Jr., Taylor, Shannon, James, Ryan, Connor, Patrick, Danny, and Caleigh. She was the sister of Mary Jane Doyle, and was predeceased by her brothers, General Thomas J. Whelan, Robert Whelan, and William Whelan. She also leaves her two sisters-in-law, Jean and Denise Whelan and many nieces and nephews. This week she had just learned that she was to become a great-grandmother this year.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial Friday, Jan, 22, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, 114 Center Street, Groveland, MA 01834. Calling hours at Dole, Childs and Shaw Funeral Home, 148 Main St., Haverhill, are Thursday, Jan. 21, from 3 to 8 p.m. Donations in Mildred’s name may be made to the Pentucket Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 36, Groveland, MA, or St. Jude Research Hospital. P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101.
real nice woman