Philip Ross "Ross; Spud" Beaudoin

Following a life lived for Christ, his church and his family, Philip Ross Beaudoin was called to eternal rest on Friday, October 10, 2025. He was 89 years old.

Ross, as his friends knew him - and Spud to his immediate family - was born July 15, 1936 in Palo Alto, California to Heston Mark and Mabel Pauline Beaudoin. His elementary school years were spent at Palo Alto Public Schools before attending middle school at St. Joseph and graduating from Bellarmine High School in 1954. Ross was accepted into the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1954 and attended Santa Clara University Jesuit School of Theology as well as Gonzaga University (1958-1961).

Following a year teaching at St. Ignatius in San Francisco, California, Ross concluded his time with the Jesuits and voluntarily joined the United States Air Force in 1962, initially stationed at Clark Air Base on the island of Luzon, Philippines. Ross remained in the Philippines through 1963 before returning to the United States for the remainder of his USAF 4-year service term as an Air Traffic Controller.

Months after meeting while volunteering for the Red Cross, Philip Ross Beaudoin married Renata Jane Melton on June 3, 1967 at Our Lady of the Valley Church in El Paso, Texas. The two spent time in Kirksville, Missouri, Olathe, Kansas and Ottumwa, Iowa before landing in Independence, Missouri in 1975. Ross received his Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate on October 26, 1978, joining the staff at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Independence as Permanent Deacon and Pastoral Associate.

After six years at St. Mark's, Ross took a similar position at St. Thomas More Parish in South Kansas City (1984-87) before returning to St. Mark's until 2002 when he became the Pastoral Administrator at Kansas City's St. James Catholic Church. Ross led St. James Parish's efforts to welcome vast populations of parishioners from all over Kansas City's Midtown area and beyond. He retired from this position in 2013 at 77, still remaining active in St. James in various capacities until his death.

In 1984, Ross began his efforts across the southern border, traveling annually to El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico for mission work at Annunciation House and in neighborhoods around Juarez. This mission work continues even today through Manos Amigas KC. Ross worked simultaneously as the Co-Coordinator of the Troost Alliance in Kansas City from 2005 to 2022. In 2022 and 2023, Ross worked with the KC Welcome Alliance focused on immigrant families' needs in Kansas City.

Philip Ross Beaudoin is survived by his wife of 58 years, Renata; children Thomas More Beaudoin (Martina Claire Verba); Annette Marie Delce; John Francis Beaudoin; Stephen Marc Beaudoin; grandchildren Amelia Claire Verba-Beaudoin and Adaline Sophia Beaudoin; nephew Charles Heston "Chuck" Beaudoin (Kimberly Beaudoin); great-nephew Charles Beaudoin; great-niece Juliette Beaudoin; cousin Sandra Pakaski (Ed Trischmann); cousin Brian Allen Reynolds; several first- and second-cousins.

A visitation will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday, October 18, 2025 at St. James Catholic Church, 3909 Harrison Street in Kansas City, Missouri with a funeral Mass to follow at 10 a.m. Cremation services provided by Cremation Society of Kansas & Missouri, with a private interment to follow the funeral mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the St. James Catholic Church Renovation Fund or Journey to a New Life.