Westfield, MA – Westfield – Thomas R. Beaudet, 95, passed away peacefully on December 27, 2025, at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield.
He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on October 30, 1930, to the late Francis and Loretta (Gelinas) Beaudet. Following his father’s layoff from the railroad in 1931, the family relocated to Putnam, Connecticut, where Thomas was raised and educated.
He was a graduate of Putnam High School, Class of 1948, and began his working life in local textile mills. On June 30, 1951, Thomas married Theresa M. Karpenski, with whom he shared fifty-five years of marriage until her passing on December 27, 2006.
In October 1951, Thomas entered the United States Army and served honorably during the Korean War with the 45th Infantry Division. His service included participation in major engagements such as the Battles of T-Bone, Pork Chop Hill, Old Baldy, and Heartbreak Ridge. He was discharged in 1953.
Following his military service, Thomas attended the Rhode Island School of Design graduating in 1958. He later earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and, in 1972, an MBA, along with executive training at Harvard University. He went on to work for three major U.S. textile firms during a distinguished career, retiring in 1995. After retirement, he founded a consulting firm, TR Beaudet & Co.
In later years, Thomas shared his life with his partner, Marjorie Weiner.
He is survived by his four children: Francis X. Beaudet, Karen (Beaudet) Nejdawi, Thomas R. Beaudet Jr., and Lea (Beaudet) Bollenbach; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Theresa “Tess” Beaudet.
A funeral service will be held on January 9, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. from the Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield, followed by a Mass at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, Westfield. Burial will follow in Pine Hill Cemetery, Westfield.
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