BANGOR – Janet (Cooley) Beaulieu, 66, died July 21, 2011. Janet was born in Hartland, to Maynard W. and Elsie (Nelson) Cooley.
Janet lived in Pittsfield, where she attended high school at Maine Central Institute, graduating in 1963. In 1967 Janet graduated from Eastern Nazerene College, Wollaston, Mass., receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in history. After graduation Janet was employed by WABI-TV, Bangor, where she met John Beaulieu. They married in 1970. Janet was particularly proud of her work at Bangor Theological Seminary, where she served as assistant to the president, and where she earned distinction as an accomplished grants writer, editor and researcher, and was described by seminary colleagues as a “literary genius.” Janet had a strong faith. She was a member of St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where she was lector and Eucharistic minister. She had a profound interest in Christian theology and in particular sacred scripture. She was always ready to generously assist others, giving them Bibles or other meaningful books from her extensive personal collection. Janet was passionate about women’s issues and about helping women in crisis. She was instrumental in starting Bangor’s earliest Rape Crisis Hotline giving many volunteer hours to women in need. It made Janet happy to mentor others; often she taught and tutored those who sought advice in life skills and in writing/publication pursuits. It was Janet’s great joy and delight to be found reading or reviewing a good book, cuddling or caring for an adopted kitten, knitting something fashionable or writing to her heart’s content. Janet was a prolific writer, having her first short story published in her elementary school newspaper. Works published as an adult include poems, interviews with writers such as Stephen King and Carolyn Chute, and numerous book reviews. Under the pen name of Andrea Carter, Janet published other work and hosted writing workshops for others who shared her interest in Hawaii Five-O.
Janet was predeceased by her husband, John; and two half sisters, Joyce Graves and Marie Stormann. She is survived by a half brother, Eugene Cooley of Pennsylvania; several half nieces and half nephews, and numerous cousins. Janet’s friends and loved ones will miss her witty, intellectual or faith-filled insights, and her extraordinary literary resourcefulness.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 768 Ohio St., Bangor, by the Rev. Tom LeQuin, with a reception after in the church hall. In lieu of flowers, donations in Janet’s memory may be made to Bangor Humane Society, 693B Mount Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401, other charities that benefit animals or charities that benefit women in crisis.