Melvin Lee Beauchamp
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Melvin Lee Beauchamp, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, passed away Thursday, December 22, 2022, from complications of advanced Parkinson's disease.
Mel, son of Clifford and Blanche Beauchamp, was born on September 25, 1933 on the family farm in Belleville, Kansas. He and younger brother Raymond, attended school in a one room schoolhouse, which had been built by their grandfather. During WWII, the family moved first to Tacoma before settling in Kennewick, where he was a Kennewick High School graduate, Class of 1951. During high school he played varsity baseball, was renown for his custom cars and played in a popular local band with his brother Raymond called the Desert Drifters. Paying for his own education by working in the pea and wheat fields of eastern Washington, Mel continued his education at Central Washington College where he met and married his wonderful partner for life, Margaret (Hendrickson) from Seattle. He completed his Bachelor's Degree in Education in 1956 and began his elementary school teaching career in Wapato, WA. After 5 years in Wapato, during which he completed his Master's degree in Education and Administration, he moved his growing family to Lynnwood, WA and taught for 5 more years in the Edmonds School District. He was named the principal of Sunnyside Elementary in Marysville in 1967, and they built a home in Marysville which was their residence for 54 years. Mel was named the principal of a brand new school, Marshall Elementary, where he was responsible for over 700 students and staff until his retirement in 1989. Mel was highly respected by his teachers and staff. He encouraged many to pursue high level administration degrees and positions.
Following his retirement after 33 years in education, Mel and Marge enjoyed traveling abroad on numerous Rick Steves tours, and closer to home in their beloved Volkswagen Westfalia camper van. For years they took great pleasure in wandering with no particular destination in mind, to every state west of the Mississippi in their van. During retirement they began two new activities which became a passion of theirs, cross country skiing in the winter and biking during the summer. Both Mel and wife Marge also volunteered for 20 + years at the Marysville Food Bank and Mel played his upright bass into his 80's for the St Mary's Catholic Church choir, which was quite different than his dance band days, but very fulfilling.
Mel was an athlete and enjoyed horseshoes, bowling, basketball and slow pitch softball. He especially loved tennis, golf and running, and passed his love of these sports to his children and grandchildren. He ran hundreds of road races, thirteen marathons, qualified for the Boston Marathon, all while keeping a meticulous record of each endeavor. He passed this love of running on to his children and grandchildren and they all have great memories of sharing this passion while at his side, maybe on a casual morning run or in an organized race. He ran regularly into his 70's until Parkinson's made the routine impossible. At that time, his son, daughters and grandchildren always made it a point to 'run an extra mile for their dad or grandpa'.
Mel is survived by Margie, his wife of 66 years, son, Michael Beauchamp (Kathy), daughters Michele Kloke (Dennis), Ren?e Bosco (Richard), and Beth Beauchamp (Michael), twelve grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life service for Melvin will be held at Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Stanwood, WA, at 11AM on Friday, the 20th of January. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your local food bank for Mel.