Devoted husband and father who served during the Korean conflict
Published June 23, 2021
ORMAND BEACH, Fla. — Roland W. Michaud, 89, a pioneering radar engineer during the Cold War and a devoted husband and father of seven, died on Nov. 6, 2020 at his second home in Ormond Beach, Florida.
Roland made Massachusetts his home base and raised his children with his wife Sallie Ann Michaud (née Smallwood) in Woburn and Lynnfield. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and designed anti-missile systems for the U.S. military as an electrical engineer with MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Raytheon Company, The MITRE Corp. and SenCom Corp.
A couple of years after Sallie’s death, Roland met Beverly A. Blackwell (née Porter), a grade-school teacher with the North Middlesex Regional School District in Ashby, Mass. They were married in 2001 in Lunenburg, where they resided for many years before becoming “snow birds” and splitting their time between Florida and their home in Pepperell.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly, of Ormond Beach, Florida. His brother Roger and Audrey Michaud of Danvers, as well as his sister Jacqueline and her George Normand of Danvers also survive Roland. He is also survived by his daughter Anne Michaud-Harman and her husband Daniel Harman of Huntington, New York; his son William Michaud and his wife Nancy (Leach) Michaud of New Hartford, Connecticut; his daughter Mary Michaud and her husband Mark Edwards of Fleetwood, North Carolina; his son Glenn Michaud of Danvers; his daughter Gail Parente of Melrose; his son Paul and his wife Loretta (Diaz) Michaud of Houston, Texas; and his daughter Janet Michaud and her husband Michael Montgomery of Washington, D.C. He is also survived by his stepson Mykol Blackwell of Redway, California; his stepdaughter Sharon (Foehl) and her husband Robbie Harlow of Ormond Beach, Florida; and his stepson Stephen Blackwell of Palm Springs, California. Many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews also survive him. Roland was predeceased by his sister Lorraine Novello and her husband Russell of Peabody; and by his brother Edgar C. Michaud and his wife Florence V. (née Mafley) of Beverly.
Roland’s family and friends celebrated his life in a virtual ceremony in December. A wake will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, July 16, at Lyons Funeral Home, 28 Elm St., Danvers, MA. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 17, at St. Mary of the Annunciation Roman Catholic Church, 24 Conant St., Danvers. Roland’s ashes will be buried in Lynnfield alongside his first wife.
