Louise Beattie

Louise Beattie, 90, of Smithfield, died Sunday, May 29, 2022.  Her children were at her bedside.

Born in Woonsocket, RI, she was the eldest child of the late Joseph R. Fugere and Margaret M. (Manning) Fugere.

A graduate of Emmanuel College, she worked as a lab tech at Massachusetts General Hospital before marrying George L. Beattie and starting her family.  She received her Master of Library Science degree from URI, and was hired as the first librarian at Davies Vocational School when it opened.  When she retired from Davies, she threw herself into her love of gardening, earned her Master Gardener certificate and volunteered at various activities through the program, in addition to planning and creating beautiful fragrant flower and vegetable gardens.  Her favorite activities were volunteering at the “ask a gardener” booth at the annual Flower & Garden Show in Providence and answering the Master Gardener hotline questions.  When she could no longer manage gardening activities, she indulged in her love of learning through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at URI, taking courses and holding lively discussions on nature, politics, history and literature.

A lifelong reader, Louise read widely, but her comforts were usually mysteries.  In her later years, she loved to discuss mysteries with other members of the Greenville Library Mystery Book Club.  She was also a fan of puzzles, both word-type like acrostics and logic puzzles, and jigsaw, especially 3-D, puzzles.  She and George traveled widely, but most enjoyed their camping adventures throughout the US and Canada.  She wrote in her journal almost every day.

Louise was preceded in death by her beloved husband and companion, George L. Beattie, and is survived by her four children, Joanne B. (Charles) Compton of Smithfield, Thomas G. (Debra) Beattie of Warwick, Paul L. Beattie of Lombard, IL, and Joseph R. Beattie of Johnston, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.  She was also predeceased by her brother Joseph M. Fugere and sister Anne Marie (Fugere) Lakeway.

Her children wish to thank the caring staff of the Preserve at Briarcliffe in Johnston, RI, for their kindness to Louise, and to Continuum Hospice of West Warwick, RI, for easing her final transition.

A memorial service will be planned for a later time.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Rhode Island Community Foodbank, 200 Niantic Ave., Providence, RI 02907 or online at rifoodbank.org .