Winslow Drury Béguelin, known as Dru, passed away Jan. 11, 2022, at home after a two-year battle with cancer. Dru called Concord, Massachusetts, home since 1993 and, along with his wife Sarah, raised five children.
Dru was born Oct. 1, 1958, in New York City and grew up in Locust. He had an idyllic childhood, spending his time on Claypit Creek, the Navesink River, Sandy Hook Bay, Seabright Beach Club and Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club. He attended the Rumson Country Day School and graduated from St. George’s School, Newport, Rhode Island, in 1977.
Upon graduation Dru found his way to the United States Navy to serve the country and see the world. After a four-year enlistment Dru returned to New York, enrolled in Baruch College and worked in the tax department of British Petroleum (BP). In June 1986 Dru met the love of his life, Sarah, on a blind date at Rockefeller Center.
Dru and Sarah were married Feb. 13, 1988, in a blizzard in Hanover, New Hampshire, and first made their home in Bound Brook when Dru left BP and went to work in the property tax department at British Oxygen Corporation. The first of their children was born in 1992 and Dru joined DuCharme & McMillen in Burlington, Massachusetts. The young family happily settled in Concord, Massachusetts. Corporate tax compliance was Dru’s specialty and after several years of working for others, he struck out on his own to form ASALT Group LLC where he served his clients until his health declined.
Dru passed away at home, in his own bed, surrounded by family and under the care of the VNA. He died his way, without remorse or anything left unsaid.
Dru is survived by his wife of almost 34 years, Sarah, and their children Adelaide (Southborough, Massachusetts), Eleanor (Nashville), Ranger (Denver), W. Pierce (Nashville) and Henry (Manchester, New Hampshire). In addition Dru leaves behind his brother Robert Béguelin and sister-in-law Susanna Jones (Bethesda, Maryland). He was the son of the late Dayton and Natalie (Pickering) Béguelin.
Out of genuine concern for those we love and care about, a small, private memorial service for family and close friends will be held at Trinitarian Congregational Church in Concord. We intend to gather in the future to honor and celebrate the love and friendship Dru shared when it is safer to do so.
Concord’s town flag flew at half-staff Jan. 18 in recognition of Dru’s honorable service to the country in the United States Navy.
The family would like to thank Dru’s PCP Dr. Peter Hoenig for his care over the past 25-plus years, the physicians at both MGH and Dana Farber, and the entire staff at CVS Pharmacy in Concord.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the The Hugh Cargill Trust, c/o Town House, P.O. Box 535, Concord, MA 01742 or VNA Hospice & Palliative Care, c/o Fund Development Office, 199 Rosewood Drive, Suite 180, Danvers, MA 01923.
To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in Dru’s online guestbook, please visit deefuneralhome.com.
The article originally appeared in the January 20 – 26, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
