Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Loses Another Athletic Legend
7/5/2007 3:32:31 PM | Football
Former football player, golfer and EMU administrator George Beaudette passes away
YPSILANTI, Mich. — The Eastern Michigan University athletics program has lost another legend with the death of George G. Beaudette, Monday, July 2, after a long illness. He was 67 years old. A memorial service honoring Beaudette will be held Monday, July 9, at 2 p.m. at the Ypsilanti High School auditorium. Beaudette married Linda Braman, Jan. 6, 2007, and she survives.
Earlier this spring, Alex Agase, EMU's athletics director from 1976-80, and Danny Boisture, the head football coach for seven seasons, from 1967-73, succumbed to illnesses in May.
Beaudette graduated from EMU in 1962 after starring on the football field in 1960 and 1961 and on the golf course in 1961 and 1962. He went on to become the director of alumni relations from 1990-96.
Beaudette's good friend, Roy Wilbanks, an Eastern Michigan University regent, explained that Beaudette had a history of heart problems and other ailments. Wilbanks hosted a party Saturday, June 30, in Beaudette’s honor, which he attended, and it included several of his close friends.
"He left here in good spirits,’’ Wilbanks said. "George was almost bigger than life,’’ Wilbanks added. "He lit up a room anytime he entered. He was as outgoing and effervescent a man as I ever met. He was a great supporter of Ypsilanti.’’
Beaudette played baseball, football and basketball at Ypsilanti High, where he was elected into the school’s sports Hall of Fame. After graduating from EMU in 1962, he spent his career as an educator.
He began his teaching career at St. John’s High School in Ypsilanti and worked as a teacher at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School and in the Ypsilanti school system, rising to principal at Ypsilanti High. After serving as EMU's director of alumni relations from 1990-1996, Beaudette was principal of the Academy for Business and Technology High School in Dearborn Heights from 1997-2005. He also served on the Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2004.
