Dec. 23, 1930 – Dec. 7, 2024
Maurice James Doucette, age 93, formerly of Winchester, Wisconsin, passed away on Dec. 7, 2024, at Pine Crest Assisted Living in Sturgeon Bay. He was born Dec. 23, 1930, in Antigo, the son of Glen and Mae (Now) Doucette. He was the second oldest of 13 children.
Maurice served in the U. S. Airforce during the Korean War as a supply clerk for the fighting troops there. After the conflict ended, while stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas he met the love of his life Shirley Silinsky. They married in 1954, and moved to Green Bay where they started their family of 5 children and where he began his work career at Green Bay Packaging Paper Company. He eventually worked his way up the ranks and after 43 years retired as mill superintendent.
Upon retirement, he and Shirley built their dream home in Winchester on the same site where they spent years enjoying the old cottage on North Turtle Lake with their family. Their slice of paradise in the Northwoods would become a gathering place for family and friends for 3 decades.
Maurice and Shirley led very active lives in retirement and enjoyed hunting, fishing and participated in many social groups including the Winchester Snow Bunny’s snowmobile club and their subgroup the “Dizzy Dozen”. They took many long trips with friends on their sleds into Michigan and always came back with lots of “adventure” stories which had occurred. After Shirley’s unexpected passing in 2003, Maurice started golfing again and with lake friends he became a regular attendee of the Tuesday Golf League. He loved the game and always looked forward to meeting with his friends.
Maurice was first and foremost a family man who relished time with his kids, grandchildren, and siblings. Many memorable pontoon trips on the lake will never be forgotten as he always liked to narrate the history of the area and comment about the changes on the lake properties we passed by. He was a very generous man and gave selflessly to family without expectations of return, no matter the request or situation. Maurice was a devoted and loving husband and deeply missed his beloved Shirley. The family takes comfort in knowing that they are together forever in heaven with our Lord Jesus.
Maurice is survived by his children, Patricia (Edward) Beierlein, Sturgeon Bay, Lynn Doucette, Green Bay, Cheryl (Steve)Brass, Farmington, Minnesota, Andrew (Julie) Doucette, Sturgeon Bay, and Sandra Edinger (Paul Laubenstein), Sturgeon Bay; 11 grandchildren, Kristin and Alex (Rachel) Beierlein, Paul Krueger, Tim (Jessica) Krueger, Karen (Jason) Loritz, Cameron Brass, Abby and Joseph Doucette, Dail Edinger (Special friend, Troy Spiering), Angie Edinger (fiancé Sean Tauscher), Tony Edinger (Special friend Kristen Butcher); and 7 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Judy (Robert) Warren, Faye Fleischman, Jane Hoerman, 2 brothers, Dale (Shelly) Doucette and Douglas (Carolyn) Doucette, all from Antigo. Also surviving are 2 sisters-in-law, Kassie Anderson and Judith (John) DeMartini and 2 brothers-in-law, Michael Silinsky and William McKelvey, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, brothers, Gerald, Merle, Loren, and Patrick Doucette, sisters, Marlene Shebuski, Beverly Edgerton, and Vergil Gerlach, sisters-in-law, Margaret Doucette, Joan McKelvey, Barbara Baylor; brothers-in-law, Donald Fleischman, Jim Edgerton, Jerry Hoerman, William Shebuski, Howard Baylor and Peter Anderson.
A memorial service will be held at the Forbes Funeral Home in Sturgeon Bay, on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at 11 am. A luncheon will follow. A visitation is scheduled for 10 am that day at the funeral home until the time of service. Online condolences may be offered at forbesfuneralhome.com
The Doucette families would like to thank the caring staff at Pine Crest Village for the special care and friendship they provided during his stay there and to Unity Hospice for their comforting care in his final days.
