Maurice C. Gagnon
1922 – 2009
NORWAY — SMsgt. Ret. Maurice C. “Moe” Gagnon, 87, a resident of the Maine Veterans’ Home in South Paris and formerly a resident of Lisbon, died Sunday, Sept. 13, at Stephens Memorial Hospital with family at his side.
He was born in Lewiston, Jan. 13, 1922, a son of Sylvain and Rose (St. Hilaire) Gagnon. He was educated in local schools and remained a lifelong resident of this area.
In 1954, Moe married Frances “Teddy” Caron of Lisbon and together they settled to raise their four children. She predeceased him in 1998. He was a proud military veteran, having first served three years in the Army and then re-enlisted in the Air Force some years later and went on to serve 20 years until his honorable discharge. He served during World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam.
He was a mechanic by trade and for a short time, owned his own garage in South Lewiston. While in the service, he was greatly involved in all aspects of transportation. One of his proudest achievements was as a tank driver under the command of General Patton as a member of the 10th Armored Division. He also served as an interpreter because of his ability to speak fluent French.
He was a very faithful man and his religion was very important to him as he was a member of Holy Trinity Church, Lisbon Area Christian Outreach (LACO) and St. Catherine’s Church in Norway. In earlier years, he loved singing in the church choir.
His military memberships included a 50-year plus membership in the American Legion, Coombs-Mountfort Post 158 of Lisbon, where he was past commander and the VFW Raymond Lavigne Post 9459 in Lisbon. He also belonged to The Left-Hand Club.
He was a very avid hunter and fisherman who loved and appreciated the outdoors and all kinds of animals. He loved children, ice cream, going out to eat, ice skating in younger years and helping others any way he could. As a young man, he played a few seasons of semi-pro baseball before the war.
He was a very clever and ingenious man and problem solver who could fix most anything. He had the tremendous ability to take an idea from his mind and create something with his hands or change it to make it much better, simpler, quicker or more efficient. He once changed a standard meat smoker into a self-contained smoking center that made the best beef jerky you’ve ever tried. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend who loved God, his country and his family and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
He leaves three daughters, Claire Sessions and husband, Stephen, of Andover, Michele Gagnon of Rumford and Valerie Quinn and husband, Keith, of Dayton, Ohio; a son, Troy Gagnon and wife, Kirsten, of Orrington; eight grandchildren, Sarah, Garin, Lindsay, Mike, Savannah, Ian, Kelsey and Nate; three great-grandchildren, Cedar, Reed and Lilah; a brother, Roland Gagnon of Bowdoinham; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his wife, “Teddy” Gagnon; his parents; a sister, Alda; and brothers, Elmo, Lionel and Robert.