Elaine Beals
Published on September 12, 2016 by Eileen Samberg
SOLF was saddened to learn of the death of Elaine Beals on August 21, 2016. Elaine was among the founding members of the Southborough Open Land Foundation. She served on the Board of Trustees of SOLF, including holding the position of treasurer for many years. She was dedicated to the preservation of the environment and open space, reinforcing her conservation ethic as a member of the Town of Southborough’s Open Space Preservation Commission. In the 1950s and 60s, Elaine and her husband Philip purchased 190 acres of land abutting their farm to protect it from development. All of that land is now under permanent conservation restrictions. Fifty-six acres of it was gifted to SOLF in 2009, property that is now known as the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve. In her honor, SOLF presents the Elaine Beals Conservation Award each year to a local resident who has shown outstanding leadership in environmental conservation. You may read the obituary here.
A memorial service for Elaine was held on October 22, 2016, at the Pilgrim Congregational Church, Southborough, MA.