Sr. David de Marie Beausoleil, DHS

May 20, 1915 – July 1, 2007

Sr. David de Marie Beausoleil, DHS, 92, a member of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, died on  Sunday, July 1, 2007, at the Holy Spirit Health Care Center where she had been a patient since

Born Alberta Beausoleil on May 20, 1915 in Putnam, CT, the daughter of the late David and Amanda (Trahan) Beausoleil, Sr. David entered religious life in 1932 and made her religious profession on August 8, 1935 at the Motherhouse in St. Brieuc, France.  After her profession she remained in France and was a nurse’s aide at a hospital in Liévin.

Sr. David received a B.E. from Teachers’ College, Providence, RI and an M.A. from Boston College, Boston, MA.  Upon her return to the United States she was involved in both education and administration.  Her teaching assignments included the following—from 1941 to 1956 she taught History at Putnam Catholic Academy, Putnam, CT.  She was one of the original 7 Daughters of the Holy Spirit who opened St. Bernard High School in New London, CT in 1956 and served as its first Vice-Principal.

In 1962 Sr. David was one of the original group who opened our mission to Chile where she served as a teacher in Chanaral, as novice mistress in Antofagasta and Vice-Provincial of the Latin American Province from 1966-73.  At the end of her term, she served in pastoral ministry and did secretarial work in Santiago, Chile.

In 1980 Sr. David returned to the United States and became Mission-Procurator for the American Province of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit.  The following year, 1981, she was assigned to San Francisco, CA and was appointed District Coordinator of our communities for the  District of California—a position that she held for a period of nine years.  In 1984 she was missioned to Patterson, CA and while there she became Vicar for Religious in the diocese of Stockton, CA and was involved in Hispanic Ministry.  In 1990 she became pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Church, Patterson, CA. In 1994 she became Pastoral Associate in the same parish and Coordinator for our communities in Patterson and Merced, CA.  She retired to the Provincial House in Putnam in 2001.

Survivors include several nieces and nephews as well as grandnieces and grandnephews.

Calling hours at the Provincial House chapel will be on Wednesday, July 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 PM with a Prayer Service at 7:15 PM.  A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, July 5, at 11:00 AM followed by burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Putnam, CT.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Daughters of the Holy Spirit Retirement Fund, 72 Church St., Putnam, CT, 06260.

Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam, CT has been entrusted with Sister Beausoleil’s arrangements.