Obituary, Moe Asselin (Maurice) 1935-1922
“If made by men, it can be fixed”
We all knew these were not idle words, primarily not meant to soothe a crying child who had just broken a piece of furnishing. – he could fix anything and build everything, from furniture to large paper mills.
Born on September 16th, 1935, he was the oldest of four children. A few Asselin brothers had moved from Quebec and married, bringing to the world a clan of Asselin cousins that would grow up in Lincoln’s tiny paper mill town.
That mill, across from his father Arthur’s restaurant and his mother’s Antoinette strict Catholic beliefs led him to Saint Anselm’s College (57) and then to the University of NH for chemical engineering with a semester spent at MIT along the course. His studies landed him his first job as a research engineer for St Regis Paper Company in West Nyack, NY. Although he now lived a long way from Lincoln, the small town still had more surprises for him. While visiting the clan in Lincoln – a particular waitress at the Indian Head resort caught his eye. Sylvia (Cozzi) and Maurice were married and soon started a family.
An exacting and demanding engineer, Maurice worked for the same paper company his whole life. He held roles from (research) to technical engineer, Vice President of Manufacturing, and VP of Major Projects. His problem-solving nature, sharp technical insight, and leadership skills made him successful in various roles. However, he was most proud when building paper machines, as it yearned for its impact, bringing vibrancy to a local economy by providing solid jobs. Paper mills were a unifying thread throughout his life.
Maurice was an avid skier, engaging his whole family in the sport – strapping on the boards for the last time only a few years ago at 82. He was a seasoned woodworker and made most of the furniture in his house, passing his love for the craft to his children. In the first years of his retirement, the unexpected sudden passing of his wife Sylvia, of 44 years, crushed him. Fortunately, Nicolette helped him rebuild his love for life; together, they traveled to places he would never have gone on his own. Accomplished shared dreams. He never stopped driving his life until his last breath, telling his Adventures filled his life until the very end.
Maurice died of natural causes on June 13th, 2022. His survivors are his wife Nicolette of fifteen years, his children, Robert (Darlene), Michael (Cari), and Margaret (Matt), and five granddaughters: Sara, Amanda, Genevieve, Marielle, and Mackenna. As he touched all deeply, he will be missed for his counsel, love, Bolognese, and wisdom.
A public service will be held this coming week. Time and place will be posted on: MauriceAsselin.com.
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Maurice Asselin, Engineer and Woodworker 