Memorials
IN MEMORY
Hon. John R. Monaghan (1939 – 2021)
IN BLESSED MEMORY of the Honorable John Monaghan of Fort Gratiot, Michigan, a water well (bore hole) was dug on June 24, 2021, in Lessel, Benue State, Nigeria, at Aper Aku Schools which are comprised of primary, middle and Secondary grades. The community and students are excited and overwhelmed with this gift of clean, potable water!
The Honorable John R. “Jack” Monaghan, 81, passed away Sunday, April 25, 2021 of Lewy body dementia with Parkinson’s in his home surrounded by family. He was born in Detroit on November 17, 1939, the eldest of five children to William and Estelle Monaghan. John was a 1958 graduate of Austin High School. He then attended the University of Detroit where he earned his bachelor degree in 1962 and his law degree in 1966. John married JoAnn Curtin on August 2, 1969 in Detroit. Shortly thereafter, he was recruited by John Cummings to move to the Port Huron area to practice law. John was a partner in the Cummings, Monaghan, Thomas & McColl firm and later in the Flanigan, Monaghan and Traver law firm.
John was a member of the Newman Center Catholic church and was involved in many civic and community organizations including Goodwill Industries, Bluewater Developmental Housing, Center for Independent Living, Burtchville Township Little League, Port Huron Minor Hockey Association, Lions Club, St. Clair County Economic Development Commission and the Community Foundation. John was also elected to the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners. John was elected judge of the St. Clair County Probate Court in 1988 where he served until his retirement in 2006. He was passionate in protecting vulnerable adults with mental incapacities and renowned for his expertise in trust and decedent estate laws. He was active in the St. Clair County Bar Association, Michigan Probate Judges Association and several state and national commissions involving probate issues.
John is survived by his wife of over 51 years, JoAnn Monaghan; his three sons, Michael (Amy) Monaghan, John (Jennifer) Monaghan and Daniel (Andrea) Monaghan; his seven grandchildren, Jack Monaghan, Matt Monaghan, Maggie Monaghan, Tim Monaghan, Owen Monaghan, Annabelle Monaghan and Cole Monaghan; his three brothers, Edward (Kathy) Monaghan, William (Peggy) Monaghan and Gary (Barb) Monaghan; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister, Nancy (Charles Bush).
Judge Monaghan’s love for and impact on the community was great, and he will be dearly missed by all his friends and family.
Memorial gifts may be made HERE in John’s memory to support the REV. SIMEON’S COMMUNITY SERVICE FUND.
APER AKU SCHOOLS, LESSEL, BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
WATER WELL DIGGING AND CELEBRATION
IN MEMORY OF
HONORABLE JOHN MONAGHAN
June 24, 2021
KOHOV, SHANGEV YA COMMUNITY OF KWANDE L.G.A
WATER WELL DIGGING AND CELEBRATION
IN BLESSED MEMORY OF
Rev. Fr. Rene Demarais, Sue Walker, Glen Smith, Dorothy R. Bergquist, John Shier, John Hill and Luke Roberts
MBAKWAGHGBEH COMMUNITY OF USHONGO L.G.A
WATER WELL DIGGING AND CELEBRATION
IN BLESSED MEMORY OF
Mary Cotter Derrick
IN MEMORY OF DR. ROGER AND PAT BEAUCHAMP
Dedication of Two Bore Holes
TSE NYAKA
Vanderyalga, Benue State, Nigeria
IN MEMORY OF MARGARET “JOYCE” BEAUCHAMP
(1936 – 2022)
IN BLESSED MEMORY of Margaret “Joyce” Beauchamp, wife, mother, friend, magician-of-sorts, passed away on July 7, 2022, surrounded by family. Joyce was born February 9, 1936, to Andrew and Mary Cotter Derrick. She spent her first eight years in Quebec, Canada. After her father died, Joyce’s mother raised Joyce and her sister, Marian, in the Bronx, New York. Joyce attended Villa Maria Academy, the same high school as Mary Higgins Clark (she always claimed). Joyce won many French and math awards. Following high school, she attended and graduated from the College of New Rochelle (New York) with a Bachelor’s degree in modern languages. She also did post-graduate work in social work at the University of Michigan.
One day, after some serious dental surgery, with her mouth filled with gauze, she couldn’t turn down a game of bridge at the Newman Center in Ann Arbor. A young man named Norman sat down at her table, and he fell in love with her at first sight, even with a mouth filled with cotton! He was very impressed with her card skills too, so it was a no-brainer, it was in God’s plans, that they should be partners for life! They married on September 10, 1960. This was quickly followed by 10 beautiful and wise children: Mark (Kathy), Stephen (Aliki), Anne (Stephen) Murray, Robert (Ruth), Thomas (Mary), James, Jeanne (Michael) DiBella, Joseph (Carly), Mary, and Michael. Each child thinks that he or she was Mom’s favorite, but Mom never revealed her choice. Joyce was the mother to not only 10 outstanding children, but also had eighteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren as well as a mother to many exchange students. She housed teens from Germany, France, Mexico, and Kazakhstan. Days at the Beauchamp house were filled with unlimited activity, fun, and love. Joyce was always tirelessly carting kids to the beach, the pools, museums, the movies, ice cream, putt-putt — this list can just go on and on. And yet dinner was always on the table. Joyce always had to be the last to bed when all the kids were home, her reasoning: “I don’t want to miss anything!” Joyce felt that caring for her children was just not enough; she still had so much to do! She became involved in every part of her community.
She served on many boards including the Salvation Army Board (part of the time as Chair), St. Mary’s Catholic School Board (part of the time as President), Holy Cross Catholic School Board, Port Huron Figure Skating Club Board, and a lifetime member of the American Association of University Women (part of the time as president and always a model in the fundraising fashion-show lunches). She volunteered at St. Mary’s grade school (Port Huron) teaching French, Olympics of the Mind, and Junior Great Books. She volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America as a den mother for 9 years. Finally, there were all the kids’ sports and activities: hockey, soccer, basketball, figure skating, tennis, even including Stephen as drummer in a heavy rock band. She would win any spelling bee with the amount of hours she spent practicing with her 10 competitive children.
When the kids started growing up and moving out, Joyce got restless. She decided to pursue a real estate career and eventually found herself as an Associate Broker at Home Towne Realty in Port Huron. She became the owner of Murray Realty on Mackinac Island for several years. Joyce once wrote down her hobbies and interests. It reads as follows, “Supporting Norm in his endeavors, reading (book club), playing bridge, travel, cooking, entertaining, being entertained, socializing with friends and… Shopping! Oh, the shopping!” She was a voracious reader and loved her local library. Norm and Joyce seemed always be playing bridge, at which she was very skilled. Then there’s her travels! Joyce and Norm traveled the whole world! There is no other way to put that! Nigeria, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Australia, Niagara on the Lake, Mexico, Ireland, and, of course, the Upper Peninsula. Joyce also traveled often to England and visited all the cities and rivers of Europe. There were numerous trips to NYC with friends and family members to see plays, musicals, museums.
In 2010, Joyce and Norm visited Father Simeon Iber in Nigeria. Joyce was greatly concerned by the lack of potable water in the remote villages adopted by Father Simeon. So, she made certain to provide the funding for the first deep water well, drilled for Agbatala Village of Benue State. She just had a way to touch the world, and she always had a spark, a laugh, a joke, a smile.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Father Simeon’s Community Service Fund, P.O. Box 595354, Fort Gratiot, Michigan, 48059, or
Memorial gifts may be made HERE in Joyce’s memory to the REV. SIMEON’S COMMUNITY SERVICE FUND.
One hundred percent of these funds will be utilized to drill additional water wells for Nigerian villagers.
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