Iconic Furniture Designer and Maker Thomas Moser Dies at Age 90
By • March 20, 2025 0 125
Last week, the Moser family reported that “it is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Thomas Francis Moser, who died peacefully at his home on the coast of Maine, on March 5, at the age of 90.”
There has been a Thos. Moser Showroom in Georgetown for many years.
The following obituary was provided by the family.
Tom was, above all, a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. For over 67 years, he shared a remarkable marriage with his childhood sweetheart, Mary Wilson Moser, building a life grounded in love, adventure and creativity. Together, they raised four sons — Matthew, Andrew, Aaron and David — in a home where learning came through doing, self-reliance was prized over dependence, and craftsmanship was a way of life. His greatest joy was his ever-growing family, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom he guided with wisdom, humor and steadfast support.
Born on February 23, 1935, in Chicago, Tom’s early years were marked by resilience. Orphaned by the loss of his mother, Sabina, at 14, and his father, Joseph, on his 18th birthday, he forged his own path with determination and ingenuity. Raised in Northbrook, Illinois, he took on roles as a Boy Scout, golf caddy, window dresser and altar boy, showcasing his enterprising spirit. He remained a loving brother to Joseph Moser of the Chicago area.
Before marrying, Tom served as a military policeman in Greenland. In 1957, at age 22, he wed Mary, the love of his life, and their shared journey began. While earning a degree from SUNY Geneseo, he supported his young family by tuning organs and restoring antiques. During this time, he and Mary built their own home from a Sears kit, crafting it themselves—a testament to their belief in doing rather than delegating. His passion for education led him to teach high school in Michigan and earn a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan. Later, in Cortland, New York, he taught English and earned a doctorate in speech communications, a field that shaped his future endeavors. He also taught in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, before the family settled in Maine in 1966. There, Tom joined Bates College, preached at a Congregational Church, hosted PBS programs, and coached speech and debate—always blending wisdom with wit.
In 1972, Tom left academia to pursue his true calling: furniture making. With Mary, he founded Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers in a modest grange hall in New Gloucester, Maine. What began as a leap of faith grew into a celebrated enterprise, furnishing homes, libraries, and boardrooms nationwide, earning commissions from five U.S. presidents and two popes. Yet for Tom, the heart of the work was the craft itself—learning through the process and creating objects of lasting value with his own hands.
A lifelong learner and teacher, Tom shared his knowledge generously, whether as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania, an author, or a board member for organizations like the Maine Maritime Museum, the University of Southern Maine, and MEMIC, where he helped transform workplace safety in Maine. His hands were rarely idle; he restored houses, rebuilt boats, sculpted in bronze, and even crafted pond models—each project a chance to master something new and do it himself. For Tom, this was more than habit—it was a philosophy of improving the world through action.
Tom was a thinker, a creator, and a showman — equally at ease leading design discussions or delighting family with playful antics like Hambone Hambone or an off-key Christmas singalong. He found joy in good conversation, tinkering in his shop, and, most of all, being surrounded by loved ones.
No services are planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Thomas Moser Scholarship Fund for the trades — www.cmcc.edu/foundation/donate-now — at the Central Maine Education Foundation, supporting young makers and builders. Tom wanted to nurture the creative spirit, to stand back after a day of hard work and be able to place your hands on your accomplishments.
Moser was the subject of a Georgetowner profile in 2015.
