DENNIS BEAULIEU

BEAULIEU, DENNIS On Saturday, September 18, 2010, we lost a friend. Captain Dennis Beaulieu had a positive attitude, quick wit, and love of life that was infectious. Dennis fell victim to Multiple System Atrophy, a degenerative neurological malady. Flying airplanes was Dennis' dream job. His passion began as a young boy, when his father took him flying in an Aeronca Champ that today sits in the family garage waiting to someday be rebuilt and flown again by another member of the Beaulieu family, Dennis' 13-year-old son Austin. In college, Dennis worked as a member of the United Auto Workers in Detroit but knew he was destined to fly and nothing was going to stand in his way. He began his aviation career as a commuter pilot in Michigan and then went on to fly for a small cargo airline, Zantop. In November 1978 at age 26, Dennis became a Flying Tiger DC-8 Second Officer. Dennis would go on to fly the B747, DC-10, B727, and finally the MD10 and MD11. He circumnavigated the globe many times in his career and particularly loved flying in Europe. Those who flew with him say it was always a pleasure; he was a true gentleman, the consummate professional, and an excellent Captain. For years Dennis served his fellow pilots as a member of the FDX MEC Professional Standards Committee; a position to which he was well suited. Dennis loved the water almost as much as he loved the sky. Racing his Thistle and Catalina sailboats in San Diego became a passion, one he was able to share with his wife, Marie, and his son Austin. A memorial mass will be held on Friday, October 15th, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in La Mesa at 11:00 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ.