John M. Stasulis
1948 – 2009
AUGUSTA — A loving father, a proud Vietnam veteran, a beloved brother, and a caring friend, John Michael Stasulis died Wednesday, July 8, at the age of 61.
He was born Jan. 17, 1948, and raised in Lewiston. As a teenager, he worked by the side of his father making bricks. During the Vietnam conflict, he enlisted to serve his country, and though he lost a close friend and was front and center in some of the worst parts of the war, his pride in his service and his country was unflagging.
When he returned from the war, he attended the University of Maine at Farmington, getting his bachelor’s degree and then later worked at Pineland and for the state of Maine. Eventually, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to own and operate a popular social club in Lewiston.
But he always said his biggest accomplishment was his daughters. Always ready to tell stories about them to any willing ear, he felt blessed by his family, and was very loving and generous with his children. He always told them to shoot for the stars, and through his belief that they could do anything, helped motivate them to attain success.
He is remembered by friends as a charismatic man, one who liked to lead, not follow. He was a capable man who built his home from scratch and was just as good with a set of tools as with an intellectual debate.
He is survived by three daughters, Samantha Stasulis, Jessica Bishop and Lynne Ashminov; step-daughters, Nicole and Heather Guimond; a grandson, Remi Ashminov; and a granddaughter, Abigail Guilmette.
He was predeceased by his wife, Leslie Stasulis; his son, Danny Guilmette; and his parents, Alexander and Yvette.
His smile, his spirit, and his sparkling blue eyes will be sorely missed.