Josephine (Jean) Beaudet

Jean Beaudet, of Oak Park Heights, passed away peacefully at Lakeview Hospital on August 10, 2026 from complications after a fall. She was 102 years old.

Born April 30, 1924 at home in Shiloh Township, Iowa, she graduated from Blue Earth High School and received her teaching credentials from Winona State Teachers College. She continued her teaching career in Stillwater where she met Albert Beaudet. They were married on November 13, 1950 and celebrated 64 years together. After taking time away to raise a family, Jean attended the Wisconsin State University River Falls where she received a four-year teaching degree.

Jean loved teaching her students how to read. She returned to teaching and retired after 24 years at Cowern Elementary School in North St. Paul. A proud member of the Teachers Retirement Association, she often talked about the excellent benefits negotiated by the union.

Jean was an avid walker. In her younger years, her daily walks included trekking up the Main Street stairs in downtown Stillwater. She loved to travel and kept journals of the family road trips -- summer vacations to National Parks, the north shore of Lake Superior and Canada and, in later years, several trips to Europe with her teacher friends. After retiring from teaching, she and Al would leave Minnesota the Monday after Thanksgiving to spend the winter in Sarasota, Florida, returning home in the Spring. For 24 years they enjoyed early morning walks on the beach and the many social activities at their condo association. Their biggest decision of day would be which restaurant would be the destination for happy hour!

She loved jigsaw puzzles and always had one going on her dining room table. Until the day she fell, she would read two daily newspapers cover to cover. Jean cherished time spent with her family and especially loved the traditional family holiday gatherings.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Tillie Schwager; brothers, Wallace, Robert, Kenneth, Burton, and Maynard; her husband, Albert; and her son, Ernie.

She is survived by her children, David (Debbie) Beaudet and Nancy (Dan Jacoby) Beaudet; daughter-in-law, Tina Beaudet; grandchildren, Katie (Jason) Monroe, Libbie (Ed McMenamin) Beaudet, Michelle (Ben Drout) Beaudet, Cori Jacoby; and her great-grandchildren, Noah Drout, Ava and Emma Monroe and Pearce and Josephine McMenamin. 

The family wishes to thank the staff at Lakeview Hospital and Hospice for their kindness, and express their heartfelt gratitude to her great-niece, Brenda Halberg, for her compassionate caregiving over the past 18 months.

There will be a Celebration of Life gathering at Bradshaw in Stillwater on Sunday, October 4th from 2 to 4 pm. Please join the family in raising a glass and sharing stories and memories of this beloved centenarian. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Valley Outreach or Lakeview Hospice.