Corey Dean, right, and Caryn Dean at the March 25 memorial for Ryan Beaupre. Seated behind the Deans is Troy Pequette.

A Eulogy for Ryan Beaupre '95 by Corey Dean (March 25, 2003)

We are here today to remember, to honor the life that Ryan graced us with. He was a friend, a son, a teacher, a brother, an athlete, a pilot, a Marine, someone to confide in. He was without prejudice, slow to anger, and attended to the needs of others without thought of personal gain or recognition. He was, in short, a true Renaissance man.

Beaups exemplified the term. He was diligent and determined in whatever he did, be it accounting, flying, or, as I’ve heard recently, surfing. While he was at Illinois Wesleyan, he served the brothers in his fraternity and the student body as a whole. He helped manage the finances at the fraternity, introduced new students to campus, sat in the hospital with someone injured during a pickup game of basketball. The circumstance was irrelevant. You knew you could count on Beaups.

I hadn’t spoken to Ryan in a couple of years. But that didn’t really matter. It was important to know that he was ... out there... doing whatever he was doing. Because if he’s out there, the world is a better place. You could be certain that good was being done somewhere. And that is a very comforting thought.

When I got the news, I was hit in a way I hadn’t expected. I knew that he was no longer out there ... doing things the way he did things. The feeling was not merely sadness. I’m sad for myself for having lost a friend. I will be sad for some time. I’m not sad for Ryan, for, while this was certainly untimely and he had more to contribute, he was doing something that he believed in. No, there was an uneasiness because the world is a little less right without him. I know that I share these thoughts with many here today.

But Beaups would not want us to lament. He’d say, "Hey, I knew the risks and I loved doing what I was doing. Don’t worry about this. Spend some time with the people around you. Chances are, you haven’t seen them for a while. Enjoy each other’s company." And then he’d thank us for being here.

I have many personal memories, and could go on about what a truly unique human being Beaups was. We all could, I’m sure.

German poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht said, "Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life."

It goes without saying that Ryan’s life was more than adequate. He helped, cared and loved as much as any person I’ve known. He was a Renaissance man.

When I go to bed at night, and I pray, I say three things. I thank God for all my gifts, I ask for forgiveness for my shortcomings. And I ask for help in becoming the man I’m supposed to be. I ask to be like Beaups.