James Ronald Beaudoin, known to most as Jim, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 24, surrounded by the love of his family. He was 84.

Jim was born on May 28, 1942, in Leominster, Massachusetts, and lived a life defined by dedication, curiosity, and a quiet sense of humor — along with a well-known appreciation for a good dessert, which he never turned down. He spent many happy and healthy years before facing multiple myeloma with strength, grace, and humor.

It was in Burlington, Vermont, while attending Saint Michael's College, that he met the love of his life, Christina. They built a partnership that would span six decades of family and shared adventure. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year.

Jim earned his medical degree from Creighton University, and then was posted to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, where he proudly served his country as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy.

He was a psychiatrist whose work was marked by compassion, intellect, and a commitment to his patients. He was widely known as a thoughtful and caring source of support, who guided others with wisdom and humanity.

He made his home in Newtown, where he and Christina spent 50 years rooted in family and lasting friendships. In recent years, they moved to Ellicott City, Maryland, where they were embraced by their daughter Buffy, her husband Howard, and their family. They enjoyed being close to Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, taking full advantage of the museums, history, and culture that so perfectly matched Jim’s love of learning.

Jim was, above all, endlessly curious — interested in science, music, history, literature, and film. He had a gift for sharing that sense of wonder, exchanging ideas with professors and busboys with equal gusto. He was a lover of jazz, rock, and classical composition, often attending local performances.

He was also an avid reader, with a particular love of Shakespeare and Dickens, building an impressive library of books, not for their value but for their collected wisdom. He was also a devoted fan of the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics, while an accomplished athlete in his own right. Jim played basketball well into his 70s, a reflection of both his competitive spirit and his love of the game.

Jim loved to travel and spent much of his life exploring the world, with a special affection for Europe and European art, where he and Christina returned often over the years. He was also a thoughtful philanthropist, supporting causes and communities that mattered to him and investing in interests around the world with the same curiosity and care that defined his life.

Family was everything to Jim.

He shared a lifelong bond with his brothers, John and Dick, and their families, and was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was very close with both of his children, Buffy and Sean, and with their spouses — Howard and Cathy — who he loved as his own.

He was a proud grandfather to five grandchildren — Buffy and Howard’s children: Jordan and her husband Kevin, Alec and his wife Sara, Bryn, and Cameron; and Sean and Cathy’s daughter Stella. He found great joy in all of them, as well as his great-granddaughters, Lulu and Georgie Turner (Jordan and Kevin), and he was especially excited to have just welcomed another great-granddaughter, Lennon “Lennie” Schwartz (Alec and Sara).

Some of Jim’s happiest memories were made during summers spent together as a family in Connecticut and on our beloved Block Island, where the family has vacationed for more than 50 years — traditions filled with love and laughter. He will be remembered for his kindness, his intellect, his humor, and his generosity. If there was a story to tell, a game to check, a fact to be expounded upon, or a salmon dinner to be ordered, Jim was fully present for it — and expected you to be, too.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Jim’s memory to consider a donation to Gilchrist Hospice and Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department, organizations that provided extraordinary care and support in his final months.

In keeping with Jim’s wishes, no formal service will be held. Family and friends will gather privately for a celebration of his life.