Alex Beaulieu will be remembered at a funeral service in Yellowknife and a reception in Ndılǫ on Thursday.
Alex passed away on October 20 at the age of 79.
His funeral begins at 12pm at St Patrick’s Co-Cathedral, followed by burial at Lakeview Cemetery and a reception in Ndılǫ’s gym.
More details are on the McKenna Funeral Home’s website, where the service will also be streamed.
Alex was “born in old Snow Drift, also known as The Gap,” his family told Cabin Radio in a message.
He worked as a lineman for telecoms companies, travelling internationally for his work, before retiring from Northwestel in the 1980s to join the world of mineral exploration.
“He often shared stories about the first surface diamond he found back in the 1980s that got away from him,” daughter-in-law Kari VanGeffen said by email.
“He was told by other geologists that the world would have to spin over twice to have diamonds here, and now look at the North.”
Even as Alex spent his days trying to push the NWT’s economy forward, he still set aside “time at the dump finding treasures.”
“Although Alex had many struggles in his life,” VanGeffen wrote, “including spending his childhood in residential school, even through all the hardship Alex was a rock to his family who taught his family about love and forgiveness.
“Alex has a huge extended family and was the best father, grandfather, great-grandfather, sibling, uncle, cousin, and friend anyone could ask for.”
