Maurice Theberge

THEBERGE, Maurice Joseph – Peacefully at home on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at the age of 62. Beloved husband and kindred spirit of Terry for 26 years. Loving father of Billie-Jo Maurice (Brandon) and Kevin Knight (Kathy). Grandfather of Andrew and Dana. He will be missed by his K9 friend Ranger. Dear brother of Lenord (Jean), Joyce Fournier (Claude) and Rachelle Bourassa (Garren). Special uncle of Danielle, Paul, Eric, Andre, Chance, Gary and Dean. Son-in-law of Evelyn Couell. Brother-in-law of Cecil Preston (Donna), Lorie Preston, Gary Preston (Nicki), Kim Preston, Bradley Preston (Tammy) and Rose Mary Nelson (Lionel). Maurice is also survived by his many nieces, nephews and friends. Special buddy of Brad Maitland. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 12 until 1:30 pm. Memorial service will be held in the chapel at 2 pm. Msgr. Victor Amadio officiating. Memorial contributions to the SAH Cancer Care Fund would be appreciated by the family. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com.

“Anything is possible.” That is what Maurice Theberge believed about life. He was a creative man, a perpetual inventor, who seemed to be able to find a solution for any difficulty confronting him. He had faith in his ability to find those solutions. Maurice thoroughly enjoyed understanding how things worked. He possessed an inquisitive, confident, and rational nature matched with a versatile and agile mind. Maurice was a person who believed that he could achieve whatever he set out to do.

Maurice was born on December 2, 1950 at Sault Ste. His parents were Ronald and Blanche Theberge. Maurice was raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He showed his ingenuity even as a child. When he was confronted with a problem, Maurice could develop an imaginative solution, and he derived satisfaction from knowing he had that ability.

This same talent for finding solutions had a positive bearing on Maurice's family relationships. Maurice was raised with four siblings. He had one younger brother Lenard, two sisters Joyce and Rachel and one half sister Julie. When a difficult situation or dilemma arose within the family, Maurice was always there to help figure out a solution for making things work.

As a young boy, Maurice could be found building and inventing new and different things. He was curious, resourceful and interested in anything original. Maurice took part in baseball and street hockey,.

Endowed with an appetite for knowing how his world worked, Maurice enjoyed school, especially when the learning experience involved dissecting and probing the unknown. Maurice was adept at scrutinizing different possibilities and designing innovative solutions. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was shop class.

Because he was a quick thinker and adept at picking up on new things, Maurice performed well in college. He was always on a quest for knowledge and he relished the experience. Theories intrigued him, and he was good at solving complex problems. He always wanted to understand rather than judge. His favorite course was an Auto Mechanic Apprenticeship.

Maurice was socially resourceful, an expressive person who was willing to try new things. These qualities drew a lively circle of friends around him. Always interested in his friends’ activities and interests, Maurice was uncritical of his acquaintances. He was sought after by people who recognized that he was generous with his time and energy, and these same friends found Maurice to be very stimulating company. Maurice's humor and curiosity were contagious for those around him. While growing up, some of his best friends were his cousins Francis and Johny. Later in life, he became friends with Ben Hogger and Marcel Masicott and his special buddy Brad Maitland.

On June 20, 1997 Maurice exchanged wedding vows with Terry Lee Knight at City Bible Chapel of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Maurice was adept at devising original and creative ways to enhance and improve the marriage partnership. Maurice was seldom a critical person, but rather the one who was able to bring out the best in others. Maurice was an entertaining conversationalist who was quick to respond to his spouse’s needs. He was a vibrant personality and he enjoyed verbally sparring with Terry. In fact, those who knew him often remarked that Maurice loved to argue for argument’s sake. He was very perceptive in recognizing others’ feelings, especially regarding Terry's.

Maurice's remarkable talent for being inventive influenced his relationship with his children. He would create original, clever and fun games for his kids and had a knack for finding ways to make everyday events, even chores, enjoyable to them. Maurice was blessed with two step-children, one daughter Billie-Jo and one son Kevin. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Andrew and Dana. Someone who was quick to laugh, Maurice found it easy to spend lots of time with his children, but he was never overbearing or guilty of pushing himself on them.

As a born inventor, Maurice was definitely in his element in his work place. He could easily create new and innovative systems, and incorporate those changes to bring a fresh approach to any work situation. Maurice was a focused worker with a strong drive for achievement. He could assess all of the options before him and, using his analytical skills, could comfortably find answers that no one else had even considered. His personal initiative inspired those around him. Maurice was always good at getting a project started and then, at the appropriate time, handing it on to a colleague. His primary occupation was a splicer and line man. He was employed for 36 years with Bell Canada and 6 years with Pickard Construction. Maurice always made an effort to be a team player, doing what needed was necessary in order to get the job done.

Maurice's passion for finding a better way to do things was often an end in itself for him. In fact, that interest by itself became something of a hobby for this perpetual problem solver. Since Maurice was always searching for new and unusual activities, he developed many interests and leisure pursuits. Some of the things he became an “expert” in might come as a surprise to those who knew him, but most friends and family understood that Maurice simply couldn’t be limited to just a few activities or ideas. His favorite pursuits were wood working, welding, hunting and fishing.

Maurice's calm demeanor and eternally positive outlook served him well in sports. Maurice was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were wrestling and boxing.

With all of his talents, his ingenuity, his solutions and inventiveness, it is no surprise that Maurice received public recognition for his competence. With the drive and ability to meet any challenge, Maurice accumulated a long list of achievements throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included his 35 years Safe Driving award through work.

Having the opportunity to visit and explore a new place always intrigued Maurice. Traveling and going away on vacations offered yet another opportunity for Maurice to expand his ever-growing inventory of knowledge. Favorite vacations included visiting his sister in Calgary many years ago and fishing day trips.

Maurice was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Maurice's favorites was Puffin, a Newfoundland dog. They were best friends for 9 1/2 years. His family was rounded out by his dog Ranger, a blue healer mix.

Even while in retirement, Maurice never stopped exercising his inventive talents, and this new phase of his life provided new opportunities for stimulating his interests. In retirement, he found new pleasure in going back to work for Pickard Construction and in the summer on weekends he fished and in the fall on weekends he hunted. Even in retirement, Maurice continued to stay in touch with his old friends and while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled.

Maurice passed away on May 8, 2013 at his home. Maurice had a short battle with colin and liver cancer. He is survived by his wife Terry, brother Lenard and his wife Jean, his sister Joyce and her husband Claude and his sister Rachel and her husband Garren. Services were held at the Arthur Funeral Home. Maurice was laid to rest in Goulais River, Ontario.

During his lifetime, nothing appeared impossible to Maurice. He met the words “it can’t be done” with the enthusiastic challenge of a “wanna bet” attitude. Maurice was able to recognize the possibilities a new idea held, even when those around him could not. For Maurice, the traditional way of doing things fell short of his expectations, especially if there were original and untested methods for handling a challenge. For Maurice Theberge, the fun of living his life could be found in the challenge.