Maurice ‘Moe’ Facques

Maurice “Moe” Facques, 79, a retired teacher and basketball coach, died on August 12 after battling a long illness. He died peacefully at Massachusetts General Hospital surrounded by his family.

Moe is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mariette, and his children Monique, Michael, and Stephen; his children’s spouses, William Hervey, Cara, and Karen; and his grandchildren Will, Alex, Sloan, Michael, Delaney and Samantha; his other surviving family members include Gerard and Laurent Salmon-Le Gagneur, Andrew Beaudoin, and his nieces and nephews Michelle, Michel, Marc and Marcia. He was predeceased by his parents, Maurice and Colette Facques and by his sister Colette Salmon-Le Gagneur.

Moe was born in France and emigrated to the U.S. at a young age. He was educated at Assumption Preparatory High School, Worcester, MA and at Saint Michael’s College, Burlington, VT. On June 9, 1962 he married his high school sweetheart, Mariette. Moe and Mariette lived in Milford, NH for over 56 years. After years of running a motel business on Lake Winnipesaukee, Moe and Mariette sold the business and settled into a lakefront condo in Gilford. They split their time between Gilford and Milford.

Moe was an American History teacher at Milford Area Senior High School and Milford Middle School for 30 years. He coached boys’ basketball for years and won two state championships (1972 and 1975). His students and ball players were like family to him and he loved hearing from them throughout the years.

Moe was a “father” to many – countless former students and ball players relied on him for knowledge, wisdom and friendship.

An active person, in his “younger days” Moe enjoyed hiking, running, and canoeing. He and Mariette were blessed with the ability to travel extensively, and particularly enjoyed traveling to France to visit family, going to Machu Picchu, and seeing most of Europe.

He retired early from teaching but stayed involved in coaching in many capacities, including as an assistant coach in Wilton, NH where he proudly helped lead the team to their first state championship (his third). He volunteered countless hours in the community, including working for SHARE, where he buzzed around in his little red truck making dump runs, shoveling, picking up food, and whatever else needed to be done. Never one to sit still, Moe tended to the cemetery grounds in Rochester and St. Patrick’s for the last few years.

He loved spending time with family and friends and could always be counted on to tell engaging stories. Recently he was blessed with taking a family cruise to Alaska to celebrate 55 years of marriage and many years of parenthood and grandparenthood.

Raised a Roman Catholic, Moe was a very religious person, and he dedicated his life to living the principle of God. He attended daily mass and would gather with friends for breakfast after mass. Moe never missed a breakfast outing and was known to have a cup of coffee and pastry at a local café or Dunkin donuts 365 days a year.

He touched the lives of many…family, friends, students, neighbors, townspeople. His family has laughed, reminisced and enjoyed hearing from many of those who knew him and mourn his passing.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Moe’s name to the SHARE Fund (1 Columbus Avenue, Milford, NH 03055) and to the Multiple Myeloma Fund, Massachusetts General Hospital Development Office (125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114).

To continue Moe’s spirit of generosity and friendliness, we ask that each of you do an act of kindness in his memory.

Calling hours are on Friday, August 16th from 1-3 & 5-8 pm in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 10:30am in St. Patrick’s Church, 34 Amherst Street, Milford. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Amherst, at a later date. Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home, Milford. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please go to www.smith-heald.com.