Grandmother of 11 has been named Maine’s grandparent of the year.
By Seth Golden
Special to the Sun Journal

SABATTUS – Shirley Beaule is a hospital volunteer. She takes care of her elderly stepfather and she is devoted to her grandchildren.

She is Maine’s grandparent of the year.

“I was very surprised,” Beaule said, adding that her heart started beating fast when she got the news. “I was kind of overwhelmed.”

Beaule was picked from 34 people, said DJ McQuade-Lancaster, coordinator of the National Grandparents Council.

This year the committee who selected the winners focused on grandparents who volunteer a lot, McQuade-Lancaster said.

Beaule volunteers at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center where she helps transport people from department to department and helps people get discharged. She also participates in the Smiley program, which offers tours of the hospital to second-graders.

“I kind of give them a little speech on it,” she said.

Beaule volunteers at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Sabattus. She takes care of her 88-year-old stepfather and she devotes a lot of time to her grandchildren.

Beaule, who has lived in Sabattus for 29 years, has 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

All of Beaule’s grandchildren were involved in nominating her. They are Michele Bosse, Jessi Hilton, Joe Adkins, Steve Gagne, Brian Gagne, Sean Favreau, Amanda Favreau, Britney Gagnon, Hana Gagnon, Jake Levesque and Josh Levesque. The great-grandchildren are Ethan Bosse and Alex Hilton.

“She’s done so much for our family,” said Michele Bosse, the oldest grandchild. “I would say she’s the best.”

Many of Beaule’s children live in the area, so children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren drop in routinely at her house.

“They just come in whenever they feel like it,” Beaule said. “I see somebody every day, just about. They’re in and out.”

Her door is always open to her grandchildren. “If they need someone to talk to they know that I am here.”

She puts on family dinners, has a Fourth of July party and takes the children to the ocean and on camping trips. She also attends their ball games.

“I like to have them around and watch them grow,” Beaule said. “I’m proud of everything they do.” Family means a lot to Beaule, she said. “We’re close.”

She hopes that when her grandchildren have their own children, they will emphasize the importance of a close family. “The family that prays together, stays together,” Beaule said. “It’s true.”

sgolden@sunjournal.com

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