Maurice C. Vercoe

SOUTH BURLINGTON – Maurice Coffin Vercoe, 98, of Allen Road passed away on Sunday, August 15, 2021.

Born on July 14, 1923, in Barre City, he was the son of Philip Osborne and Velma (Coffin) Vercoe.  He attended local elementary schools and graduated from Spaulding High School in 1941. He and a classmate created a newsletter which was sent to all members twice a year for 20 years.  After graduation, he attended Middlebury College for a year before becoming a Marine and serving in World War II.  He was assigned to the invasion of Japan but was diverted to Tsingtao, China for occupation duty.  After the war he continued his education at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1949.

Maurice immediately started working for General Electric Company as a mechanical engineer on their Test Program.

Also in 1949, he married Margaret Batchelder and following their marriage, they moved frequently for two years when Maurice was called back in the service at the time of the Korean War.  He and Margaret spent the next 18 months in Bridgeport, California where he served as a Captain at the Cold Weather Camp in Pickel Meadows in the High Sierras.  In 1953, they returned to Vermont and General Electric and settled in Burlington.  Known as “Moe”, he was a popular General Electric Company teacher for apprentices for 20 years.

Maurice was active in the First United Methodist Church, the church school and served as President of the Board of Trustees.  He participated in activities for the Boy Scouts, Habitat for Humanity, the “Methodist Movers”, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.  Also, he was a Mason and a Shriner, and received his 50-year pin in September 2012.

His hobby was making model trains of all kinds, as well as intricate miniature holiday ornaments and doing complex puzzles.  After retiring from General Electric in 1984, he and Margaret enjoyed spending six months of the year in Florida where they had many friends, although they always returned home for holidays with the family.  During the last few years in Florida, he was often asked to perform as Abraham Lincoln, reciting the Gettysburg Address from memory.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 72 years Margaret; his son Richard and his wife, Robin Vercoe; his daughter Cheryl Fatnassi and her husband, Ezzeddine; his grandchildren Jennifer Ruggiero and her husband, Eric; Hethba Fatnassi and her husband, Tony Kaigle; Kellie Mellish and her husband, Mac, and Aziz Fatnassi; his great-grandchildren Mason, Megan, and Max Ruggiero and the latest addition to the family- Maeve Mellish who he was blessed to meet shortly before his passing as well as his sister-in-law Carolyn Granai Vercoe and his brother-in-law James Fleming.

He was predeceased by his sister, Charlotte V. Fleming and his brother W. Norman Vercoe.

Maurice’s family was very important to him, and he shared his love and advice on how to lead a good life with everyone he met.

His family would like to give a special thank you to the many care workers who patiently listened and cared for him!

The service to honor and celebrate his life will be held at the convenience of his family in Hope Cemetery in Barre.