Made in USA

In Memory of Arthur Beaubien

Arthur F. Beaubien
1958 – 2007

Arthur Francis Beaubien died September 1st at his home in Montague with his family at his side, after a battle with a chronic lung illness. He leaves his mother, Mary Ann Beaubien, his brother Mark and his wife Wendy, his nieces Lily and Maddy, all of Montague, his sister Patricia Dichter and her husband Bronek, his nephews Janek and Thomas, all of Sudbury. He also leaves his stepmother Pamela Beaubien of Ware, and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased this past April by his father, David.

Arthur was born November 14, 1958 in Boston and grew up in Sudbury, where he graduated from the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in 1976. Early in life, he became interested in electronics through amateur radio, following in his late fathers footsteps. In his adolescence, he started a neighborhood appliance-repair business and went on to build many homemade machines including a VW dune buggy. In 1981, Arthur graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute with the Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

Despite his health problems, Arthur managed to keep a strong spirit and accomplished many notable feats. Early in his early technical career, Arthur worked on the development of chilled mirror dew point hygrometers at General Eastern, Inc., of Watertown. Later, at Frequency and Time Systems of Beverly, he worked on the R&D team that developed a cesium beam atomic clock that is now aboard the worlds GPS satellites.

In 1989, he started Yankee Environmental Systems, Inc., of Montague with his family in the basement of the family home, culminating in many successful technical advancements in environmental instrumentation. In 1994, Arthur was awarded a US patent titled Reference Grade Solar Ultraviolet Band Pyranometer for his work on a solar instrument, which is now used in climate monitoring networks such as the US Department of Agricultures UV-B Monitoring and Research Program. This program tracks global stratospheric ozone depletion by measuring long term trends in ultraviolet solar radiation reaching the earths surface. In recognition of his tireless pursuit of developing technology to quantify global climate change, he received the Society for Optical Engineerings (SPIE) lifetime achievement award in 2001.

In the latter part of his life, Arthur was very active in the Better Breathers COPD Support Group at Baystates Franklin Medical Center, where he shared his technical expertise with group members needing computer help. The many friends he made there helped him to cope with his chronic condition. His patience, perseverance, and kindness made him an inspiration to his family and all those who knew him.

A memorial mass is planned at Our Lady of Peace Church in Turners Falls. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Baystate Franklin Medical Centers Pulmonary Rehabilitation unit, care of Rose Deskavich.