John Beaugh Sr
Age - 101
December 1, 2023
Church Point, LA: A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 PM Monday, December 4, 2023 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Church point, LA for Mr. John Harold Beaugh Sr. , 101, who passed away AM Thursday, November 30 at his residence. Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel, Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, will conduct the Funeral Mass and Burial Rite following in the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Mausoleum adjacent to the church. . A quarter of a century is a lot of time in the lifespan of a human being. In elected office, the same twenty-five year span is an eternity. Harold Beaugh was the mayor of Church Point for that eternity. The son of Louis and May Beaugh graduated from high school in 1941 just as World War II was about to begin. He joined the army after Pearl Harbor and was placed in the Signal Corps. His job was to establish communications between the front line and headquarters in the rear. He would become a telephone lineman in a combat zone. Sergeant Beaugh followed the infantry over the beaches of Normandy, across France and into the heart of Germany, stringing cable as he went. In the confusion of the battlefront, Harold Beaugh and his team would often find themselves ahead of the infantry. This happened as members of the Signal Corps approached the infamous concentration camp of Dachau, filled with dead or emaciated, barely-living inmates. Harold Beaugh's wartime job became his peacetime job, but without being shot at. He was hired by Gulf States Utilities in Lafayette in 1947 as a lineman. In 1952, he was promoted to first class lineman. Beaugh returned to his home town in 1953 as a district serviceman for G. S. U. In Church Point, he climbed the career ladder from residential sales representative to senior consumer services rep to superintendent of the Church Point district. He retired from the utility company in 1986 after 39 years. It was in 1950 that the electric lineman married Juanita Richard. The couple had three children, John, Vicki and Suzanne. Upon his return to Church Point, Beaugh became a leader in the civic realm. He was president of the Little League Boosters, on the board of directors of the newly created Quarterback Club, president of the Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Aquatic Club. When town councilman Clarence Briscoe died in 1966, it was not surprising that Harold Beaugh was chosen to complete his term. He won an election to the position later that same year and was re-elected for another term in 1970. Mayor Andrew Vidrine chose not to run in 1974. Harold Beaugh won that election for mayor, and the next one, and many more. Beaugh was the mayor of Church Point until 1999, making him the longest serving mayor in Church Point's history. His time at the helm of city government encompassed both good times and bad. During his early years, the oilfield was booming, but he was also mayor when the oil crash of the mid-80's devastated the local economy. Still, there were many accomplishments during Harold Beaugh's tenure as mayor. A new housing project, a new library and a new city hall were erected. Two parks were built in the town. The method of electing councilmen was changed to further racial representation. The 'Vieux Presbytere' was moved and restored to its 1887 condition. To honor his contributions, Mayor Beaugh was named as the Grand Marshal of the 1991 Church Point Buggy Festival parade. In 1999, Entergy (what was once Gulf States Utilities) installed a new substation to better serve the town's electrical needs. Located adjacent to the Church Point Wholesale, the substation was dedicated to and named after Harold Beaugh. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Juanita Richard Beaugh of Church Point, one son, John Harold Beaugh, Jr. of Dallas, TX, two daughters, Vicki Richard of Church Point and Suzanne Richard of Church Point; six grandchildren, Alissa Smith, Sarah Comeaux, Michelle Richard, Andre' Richard, Haley Lejeune, and Taylor Richard; sixteen great grandchildren, Alexis Richard, Audrey Duhon, Meredith, Gabriel, Margaret, Catherine, Caroline and William Smith, Layne, Libby and Hudson Comeaux, Madelyn, Beckham and Luke Lejeune, Noah Richard and Aubree' Guillory. He was preceded in death by his parents; his six siblings; two sons-in-law, Ricky Richard and Reynold Richard; two grandchildren, Leslie and Jacques Richard The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Guidry Funeral Home on Monday, December 4, from 10:00 AM until the time of the Funeral Mass at 1:00 PM. The Rosary will be recited in the funeral home at 12:00 PM prior to leaving for church. Personal condolences may be sent to the Beaugh family at . Guidry Funeral Home, 219 N. Broadway St. , Church Point, LA is in charge of final arrangements. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of , please .Show more
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