Individual Details
Eugene Anthony "Gene" Beaudry
(23 Apr 1913 - 5 Nov 1985)
HSO, 31 Jan 1935
That heroism and bravery brings its just rewards in time was evidenced last week when Eugene Beaudry, 22 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Beaudry, was honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund commission of Pittsburgh, with the award of a bronze medal and $500 for his bravery in risking his own life in rescuing Mary E. Wilcox, then 17, from drowning while skating on the Willow River here the evening of Dec. 2, 1932.
[some information omitted]
On the night of December 2, 1932, young Beaudry, while skating, saw Mary Wilcox nd young mn companion, Clarence Naegle of Stillwater, break through thin ice forty feet from shore. The pair twice monentarily submerged in water fifteen feet deep and then grasped the edge of the ice. Naegele partially shoved Miss Wilcox over the edge of the ice and tried to climb on the ice himself but could not and soon sank and drowned.
The Carnegie citation says that Beaudry and two companions skated toward the hole and Beaudry, although unable to swim, crawled on his hands and knees to within three feet of the girl. He doubled one foot under him and extended his other foot for her to grasp.
The girl took hold of the skate as Beaudry's foot extended over the edge of the ice dragging him twelve inches from the hole. She released her grasp while Beaudry dug one of his skates into the ice. He extended his other foot to the girl who was drawn up on the ice. Both slowly crawled to safety. Miss Wilcox collapsed but later recovered. The daring rescue, at the time, attracted much attention and was given wide publicity throught the Northwest.
The Carnegie medal awarded to Beudry was one of fourtten announced by the Carnegie Hero Commission last week. Four of the heroes so recognized lost their lives while aiding others.
[Wm. B. Webster of the State Bank sent the information about the rescue to the Carnegie Commission.]
HSO. 14 Nov 1963, p6
Silver Wedding Honor Beaudrys
Three daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Beaudry will be hostesses at an open house to honor their parents' 25th wedding anniversary Sunday, Nov. 17. They are Mrs. Dennis Miller (Jean), Juliette and Mary Carol.
Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Knights of Columbus hall between 2 and 5 p.m. No cards have been issued.
HSO, 9 Nov 1978, p4
Eugene Beaudrys Set 40th Wedding
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Beaudry will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary Saturday, Nov. 11, with an open house from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at the North Hudson village hall. Dancing begins at 0 p.m.
Hosts will be their children, Mr. and Mrs. Miller of Claremont, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Bonngard, and Joseph Beaudry.
No cards have been issued.
HSO, 11Nov1982
(Fifty years ago) on December 3, 1932 Gene Beaudry, 1016 Tenth St., risked his life to save the life of Mary (Wilcox) Bartlett, who had fallen through the ice while out ice skating.
Two years later Beaudry received the Carnegie Medal. At the time it was only the thirteenth award of its kind to be awarded in the United States. He was also given a monetary award of $500. The night of the accident Beaudry, who was 19 at the time, and some of his friends were out skating along the Hudson side of Lake Mallalieu. Suddenly
they heard a girl screaming for help.
Looking down towards the center of the lake they could see a girl lying on the ice. As they got closer they could see the ice was cracked and the girl was half in the water, according to Beaudry.
Beaudry, who was afraid of the water and could not swim, crawled out on the ice trying to lie flat to distribute his weight, and inched his way to Wilcox.
After reaching her, he turned around so she could grab the blade of his skate. Slowly he pulled forward, dragging her with him.
"At the time my feelings went with the parents of the drowning victim. Because only two years prior to that I had lost a brother at the very same spot, from drowning on Easter Monday, 1930," Beaudry said.
When they reached safety on the shore, Wilcox told them Clarence Naegele, of Stillwater, was with her and he had gone under after pushing her to the edge of the ice.
HSO, 14 Nov 1985, p8a
Eugene A. Beaudry, 71, of 1016 Tenth St., died of a heart attack at his home Tuesday, Nov. 5.
He was born April 23, 1913 in Hudson, the son of Benjamin and Othilla Friend Beaudry.
He was graduated from St. Patrick's Catholic School and attended Hudson High Schoo.
In 1932, at the age of 19, he received the Carnegie Hero Award for rescuing Mary Wilcox, now Mrs. Del Bartlett of Phoenix, Arizona, from drowning in Lake Mallalieu. At the time he did not know how to swim himself.
In recognition of that heroism the city council several years ago named a street after Beaudry in the St. Croix Valley Park subdivision, on the east side of County Road F, across from the Catholic cemetery.
On November 18, 1938, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Hudson, he was married to Margaret Kolashinski.
He started work at the Omaha car shops in North Hudson and after the shops closed he was employed by the Burlington Northern Railroad, retiring in 1972 because of health reasons. At one time he had also been employed by the Great Northern Railroad.
Surviving are his wife, Margaret; a son, Joseph of R5; two daughters, Mrs. Dennis (Eugenia) Miller of 511 Cedar Dr. N, and Mrs. Stanley Bonngard (Juliette) of 1009 Tenth St.; a brother, Philip Beaudry of 801 Oak St.; a sister, Mrs. Frances Powers of 823 Elm St., and a half-sister, Mrs. Irene Butterfield of Centralia, Washington; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughtrer, Mary Carol, in 1966, and two brothers, Ernest and John.
A memorial Mass was at St. Patrick's Catholic Church Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m., with the Rev. James Brinkman officiating. Mrs. Elsie Sandquist was organist, the Hope Choir sang and Jerry Kolashinskiwas vocal solist. Russell Jensen gave the eulogy. There was no visitaton. His body was cremated and the cremains buried in St. Patrick's cemetery.
HSO, 22 Nov 1990, Letters to the Editor
On behalf of myself and my daughter I would like to acknowledge Hudson Mayor Bob Angleson, Councilman Don Bruns, Hank Paulson and many others who helped to make Wednesday, Nov. 14, such a special day for us.
The ribbon cutting and dedication of Beaudry Boulevard was a great honor for my family. I know that my grandfather, Gene Beaudry, would have been very proud of this honor. Not only will his memory remain alive in our hearts it will always be there in the years to come for my daughter to remembe her great-grandfather. Grandpa meant an awful lot to me and I know he naming of Beaudry Boulevrd would have meant a lot to him.
Pat & Victoria Miller
HSO, 12 Jul 2012, p5a
Street names honor memorable Hudson citizens and families
Many of Hudson's street names honor real people and their stories. Beaudry Boulevard is one
of those.
The one-third mile long street running from Heggen Street to Industrial Street in the city's first business park
south of Interstate 94 is named after Eugene A. Beaudry, a lifelong Hudson resident.
Joe Beaudry, a 31-year veteran of the city's wastewater utility, is Eugene's son. His sister Julie Bonngard also remains a Hudson-area resident.
The Beaudry family has been in Hudson since 1894 when Eugene's father, Ben Beaudry, came here from
Nova Scotia, Canada, and found work in a local lumber mill. In Hudson, the young man of French descent met a
German immigrant girl, Othella Friend, and they married in 1904.
The house at 1016 10th St. was their son Eugene Beaudry's home for almost his entire life. The bedroom
in which Eugene was born is where he died of a heart attack in 1985 at the age of 71.
Eugene's first job was at the Omaha railroad car shops in North Hudson. He spent the rest of his working years
with the Great Northern and the Burlington Northern railroads.
While the Beaudrys have a long history in Hudson, it was an act of heroism by Eugene when he was 19 years old
that led to the naming of Beaudry Boulevard, according to his son, Joe.
On the night of Dec. 3, 1932, Eugene was skating on Lake Mallalieu with friends when they heard screams
from a young woman, 20- year-old Mary Wilcox, who had fallen through the ice with her boyfriend, 21-yearold
Clarence Naegele of Stillwater. Eugene didn't know how to swim, but he skated to the center of the lake where Wilcox was clinging to the edge of the ice. He crawled to within three feet of Wilcox and extended one of his legs for her
to grab onto. On the second attempt, after Wilcox was twice momentarily submerged in the water, Eugene was able to
pull her onto solid ice. Sadly, Naegele drowned after pushing Wilcox onto the edge of the ice, according to an account in a St. Paul newspaper.
Two years later, Eugene Beaudry was awarded a Carnegie Medal for his heroism.
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, established by
industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, remains in existence, honoring Americans and Canadians
for acts of heroism each year. Forty-four medals have been awarded this year.
Eugene Beaudry was remembered again when the city needed a name for a new street in the St. Croix Ventures
Business Park.
That heroism and bravery brings its just rewards in time was evidenced last week when Eugene Beaudry, 22 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Beaudry, was honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund commission of Pittsburgh, with the award of a bronze medal and $500 for his bravery in risking his own life in rescuing Mary E. Wilcox, then 17, from drowning while skating on the Willow River here the evening of Dec. 2, 1932.
[some information omitted]
On the night of December 2, 1932, young Beaudry, while skating, saw Mary Wilcox nd young mn companion, Clarence Naegle of Stillwater, break through thin ice forty feet from shore. The pair twice monentarily submerged in water fifteen feet deep and then grasped the edge of the ice. Naegele partially shoved Miss Wilcox over the edge of the ice and tried to climb on the ice himself but could not and soon sank and drowned.
The Carnegie citation says that Beaudry and two companions skated toward the hole and Beaudry, although unable to swim, crawled on his hands and knees to within three feet of the girl. He doubled one foot under him and extended his other foot for her to grasp.
The girl took hold of the skate as Beaudry's foot extended over the edge of the ice dragging him twelve inches from the hole. She released her grasp while Beaudry dug one of his skates into the ice. He extended his other foot to the girl who was drawn up on the ice. Both slowly crawled to safety. Miss Wilcox collapsed but later recovered. The daring rescue, at the time, attracted much attention and was given wide publicity throught the Northwest.
The Carnegie medal awarded to Beudry was one of fourtten announced by the Carnegie Hero Commission last week. Four of the heroes so recognized lost their lives while aiding others.
[Wm. B. Webster of the State Bank sent the information about the rescue to the Carnegie Commission.]
HSO. 14 Nov 1963, p6
Silver Wedding Honor Beaudrys
Three daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Beaudry will be hostesses at an open house to honor their parents' 25th wedding anniversary Sunday, Nov. 17. They are Mrs. Dennis Miller (Jean), Juliette and Mary Carol.
Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Knights of Columbus hall between 2 and 5 p.m. No cards have been issued.
HSO, 9 Nov 1978, p4
Eugene Beaudrys Set 40th Wedding
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Beaudry will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary Saturday, Nov. 11, with an open house from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at the North Hudson village hall. Dancing begins at 0 p.m.
Hosts will be their children, Mr. and Mrs. Miller of Claremont, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Bonngard, and Joseph Beaudry.
No cards have been issued.
HSO, 11Nov1982
(Fifty years ago) on December 3, 1932 Gene Beaudry, 1016 Tenth St., risked his life to save the life of Mary (Wilcox) Bartlett, who had fallen through the ice while out ice skating.
Two years later Beaudry received the Carnegie Medal. At the time it was only the thirteenth award of its kind to be awarded in the United States. He was also given a monetary award of $500. The night of the accident Beaudry, who was 19 at the time, and some of his friends were out skating along the Hudson side of Lake Mallalieu. Suddenly
they heard a girl screaming for help.
Looking down towards the center of the lake they could see a girl lying on the ice. As they got closer they could see the ice was cracked and the girl was half in the water, according to Beaudry.
Beaudry, who was afraid of the water and could not swim, crawled out on the ice trying to lie flat to distribute his weight, and inched his way to Wilcox.
After reaching her, he turned around so she could grab the blade of his skate. Slowly he pulled forward, dragging her with him.
"At the time my feelings went with the parents of the drowning victim. Because only two years prior to that I had lost a brother at the very same spot, from drowning on Easter Monday, 1930," Beaudry said.
When they reached safety on the shore, Wilcox told them Clarence Naegele, of Stillwater, was with her and he had gone under after pushing her to the edge of the ice.
HSO, 14 Nov 1985, p8a
Eugene A. Beaudry, 71, of 1016 Tenth St., died of a heart attack at his home Tuesday, Nov. 5.
He was born April 23, 1913 in Hudson, the son of Benjamin and Othilla Friend Beaudry.
He was graduated from St. Patrick's Catholic School and attended Hudson High Schoo.
In 1932, at the age of 19, he received the Carnegie Hero Award for rescuing Mary Wilcox, now Mrs. Del Bartlett of Phoenix, Arizona, from drowning in Lake Mallalieu. At the time he did not know how to swim himself.
In recognition of that heroism the city council several years ago named a street after Beaudry in the St. Croix Valley Park subdivision, on the east side of County Road F, across from the Catholic cemetery.
On November 18, 1938, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Hudson, he was married to Margaret Kolashinski.
He started work at the Omaha car shops in North Hudson and after the shops closed he was employed by the Burlington Northern Railroad, retiring in 1972 because of health reasons. At one time he had also been employed by the Great Northern Railroad.
Surviving are his wife, Margaret; a son, Joseph of R5; two daughters, Mrs. Dennis (Eugenia) Miller of 511 Cedar Dr. N, and Mrs. Stanley Bonngard (Juliette) of 1009 Tenth St.; a brother, Philip Beaudry of 801 Oak St.; a sister, Mrs. Frances Powers of 823 Elm St., and a half-sister, Mrs. Irene Butterfield of Centralia, Washington; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughtrer, Mary Carol, in 1966, and two brothers, Ernest and John.
A memorial Mass was at St. Patrick's Catholic Church Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m., with the Rev. James Brinkman officiating. Mrs. Elsie Sandquist was organist, the Hope Choir sang and Jerry Kolashinskiwas vocal solist. Russell Jensen gave the eulogy. There was no visitaton. His body was cremated and the cremains buried in St. Patrick's cemetery.
HSO, 22 Nov 1990, Letters to the Editor
On behalf of myself and my daughter I would like to acknowledge Hudson Mayor Bob Angleson, Councilman Don Bruns, Hank Paulson and many others who helped to make Wednesday, Nov. 14, such a special day for us.
The ribbon cutting and dedication of Beaudry Boulevard was a great honor for my family. I know that my grandfather, Gene Beaudry, would have been very proud of this honor. Not only will his memory remain alive in our hearts it will always be there in the years to come for my daughter to remembe her great-grandfather. Grandpa meant an awful lot to me and I know he naming of Beaudry Boulevrd would have meant a lot to him.
Pat & Victoria Miller
HSO, 12 Jul 2012, p5a
Street names honor memorable Hudson citizens and families
Many of Hudson's street names honor real people and their stories. Beaudry Boulevard is one
of those.
The one-third mile long street running from Heggen Street to Industrial Street in the city's first business park
south of Interstate 94 is named after Eugene A. Beaudry, a lifelong Hudson resident.
Joe Beaudry, a 31-year veteran of the city's wastewater utility, is Eugene's son. His sister Julie Bonngard also remains a Hudson-area resident.
The Beaudry family has been in Hudson since 1894 when Eugene's father, Ben Beaudry, came here from
Nova Scotia, Canada, and found work in a local lumber mill. In Hudson, the young man of French descent met a
German immigrant girl, Othella Friend, and they married in 1904.
The house at 1016 10th St. was their son Eugene Beaudry's home for almost his entire life. The bedroom
in which Eugene was born is where he died of a heart attack in 1985 at the age of 71.
Eugene's first job was at the Omaha railroad car shops in North Hudson. He spent the rest of his working years
with the Great Northern and the Burlington Northern railroads.
While the Beaudrys have a long history in Hudson, it was an act of heroism by Eugene when he was 19 years old
that led to the naming of Beaudry Boulevard, according to his son, Joe.
On the night of Dec. 3, 1932, Eugene was skating on Lake Mallalieu with friends when they heard screams
from a young woman, 20- year-old Mary Wilcox, who had fallen through the ice with her boyfriend, 21-yearold
Clarence Naegele of Stillwater. Eugene didn't know how to swim, but he skated to the center of the lake where Wilcox was clinging to the edge of the ice. He crawled to within three feet of Wilcox and extended one of his legs for her
to grab onto. On the second attempt, after Wilcox was twice momentarily submerged in the water, Eugene was able to
pull her onto solid ice. Sadly, Naegele drowned after pushing Wilcox onto the edge of the ice, according to an account in a St. Paul newspaper.
Two years later, Eugene Beaudry was awarded a Carnegie Medal for his heroism.
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, established by
industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, remains in existence, honoring Americans and Canadians
for acts of heroism each year. Forty-four medals have been awarded this year.
Eugene Beaudry was remembered again when the city needed a name for a new street in the St. Croix Ventures
Business Park.
Events
| Birth | 23 Apr 1913 | Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin |  | ||
| Baptism | 4 May 1913 | St. Patrick's Catholic Church; Godparents were Robert Friend and Anna Gartmann, Hudson , St. Croix County, Wisconsin |  | | |
| Marriage | 18 Nov 1938 | Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, St.Patrick's - Margaret Kolashinski | | ||
| Death | 5 Nov 1985 | Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin | | ||
| Burial | 8 Nov 1985 | Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, St.Patrick's | | ||
| Christen | Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, St.Patrick's | ||||
| Radio in 1930 | Yes | |
Families
| Spouse | Margaret Kolashinski (1918 - 1999) |
| Child | Eugenia Katherine "Jean" Beaudry ( - 1996) |
| Child | Mary Carol Beaudry (1943 - 1966) |
| Child | Juliette Beaudry (1946 - 2014) |
| Child | Joseph Beaudry |
| Father | Benjamin Benoit Beaudry (1866 - 1953) |
| Mother | Ottilia Friend (1873 - 1949) |
| Sibling | John Robert Beaudry (1905 - 1967) |
| Sibling | Philip B. Beaudry (1908 - 1990) |
| Sibling | Frances Margaret "Fran" Beaudry (1910 - 2007) |
| Sibling | Ernest Beaudry (1914 - 1930) |
Notes
Baptism
Beaudre, Eugene Anthoni; Baptism date 4 Mar 1913; Father Benjamin Beaudre; Mother Otallie Friend; Birth date 23 Apr 1913; Sponsors Robert Friend and Anna Gartmann; NOTE: Baptismal date is before birth date--possibly should be May instead of March.Endnotes
1. Hudson Star-Observer, Hudson, Wis., 14 Nov 1985, p8a, Obituary, Eugene Beaudry.
2. "St. Patrick's Catholic Church Baptismal Records, 1863-1910"; compiled by Marty O'Connell; Hudson Area Library History Room, p2.
3. "St. Patrick's Catholic Church Baptismal Records, 1863-1910"; compiled by Marty O'Connell; Hudson Area Library History Room, p2.
4. Hudson Star-Observer, Hudson, Wis., 21 Jan 1999, p17a, Obituary, Margaret Beaudry.
5. Hudson Star-Observer, Hudson, Wis., 14 Nov 1985, p8a, Obituary, Eugene Beaudry.
6. Hudson Star-Observer, Hudson, Wis., 14 Nov 1985, p8a, Obituary, Eugene Beaudry.
7. Hudson Star-Observer, Hudson, Wis., 14 Nov 1985, p8a, Obituary, Eugene Beaudry.
8. Find-A-Grave (www.findagrave.com), Memorial No. 113830021, Eugne "Gene" Beaudry.
9. 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Wisconsin, St. Croix County, Hudson, Benjamen Beaudry.