Robert Emmett Beauclair

Robert "Bob" Emmett Beauclair, 77, Bismarck, died January 11, 2013, at St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck with his two daughters at his side. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday at 12:30 PM at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck with The Rev. Msgr. Thomas Richter officiating. Burial will be at ND Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 5:00 – 8:00 PM at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a rosary service will begin at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue on Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Robert was born on August 4, 1935, in New Rockford, ND. He was the son of Louis and Mary Boyle Beauclair, and the youngest brother in a family that eventually included nine children. He attended St. James Academy in New Rockford, and after his graduation from high school, attended Minot State University for a year. From there he went to Holy Cross Seminary in La Crosse, WI, where he stayed for a year and a half, until entering the U.S. Air Force. Robert completed his basic training in San Antonio, TX, and later was stationed for overseas duty in Tokyo, Japan, where he worked primarily as a chaplain's assistant for two years, serving four years total. In 1961, following his time in the service, Robert began working in the insurance department at the Captiol in Bismarck, where he met his future wife, Jane Byrne. They married on August 21, 1965, and in 1967, welcomed their first daughter, Camille. In 1968, their second daughter, Roxane, was born. Robert finished his teaching degree at Minot State University, with emphases in English and history. He and Jane worked in the education field in both Wyoming and Montana. The couple resided in Poplar, MT, for 37 years, returning to Bismarck in the summer of 2006. His love of a variety of music, from Ella Fitzgerald and Karen Carpenter to Lawrence Welk and country music, and talent in writing poetry and stories inspired both of his daughters to pursue these loves in their own lives. Robert also enjoyed fishing and conversing with friends over coffee, and had a special place in his heart for children and the displaced, using humor to brighten lives. He was a steadfast fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. Robert is survived by his wife, Jane, of Bismarck; daughters Camille Chris Harvey of Hazen, ND, and Roxane Troy Salonen of Fargo, ND; eight grandchildren, Rachel, Hannah, and Benjamin Harvey, and Christian, Olivia, Elizabeth, Adam, and Nicholas Salonen; sisters Merita Henry McCann and Jeannine Bob Engberg, both of San Antonio, TX; as well as sisters-in-law Meryl Beauclair and Mary Alice Beauclair and mother-in-law, Elizabeth Byrne, all of Bismarck. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings: Bill, Tom, Monica Neuenschwander, Colleen Guler, Leo, and Lorraine Kloeckner. Suggested memorials can be directed to the American Diabetes Association or God's Child Project.

Robert Emmett Beauclair

August 4, 1935 - January 11, 2013