CARIBOU, FORT KENT - Joseph M. Susee, 89, passed away peacefully at Bangor on May 8, 2012 after a long illness. He was born in Manchester, New Hampshire on November 30, 1922, the son of Walter and Ida (Provost) Susee. He attended Manchester schools and graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1940. Following the 1941 attacks on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1942 and was trained as a metal smith, working on fighter aircraft in the South Pacific. He participated in the invasion of the Phillipine Islands of Luzon and Mindinao. Being a Marine was a source of lifelong pride and honor. He made sure his family knew as much as possible about WWII and often related memories of those experiences. After the war, while working in the textile mill in Manchester, he met and fell in love with a beautiful blonde, Virginia (Ginny) Briggs. They were married on November 29th, 1947. They enjoyed their full life together until her passing, two weeks prior to their 62nd anniversary in 2009. Following WWII, he continued his work as a metal smith at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and also for private shops in and around Manchester. When he moved his family to Caribou in the mid- 1950’s, he continued that work for a short time prior to his employment with the United States Postal Service in Caribou. He was a letter carrier for 10 years, walking 11 miles per day in all weather conditions to deliver the mail. He was eventually promoted to Superintendant of Mails in Caribou. He also served as Officer in Charge in Madawaska, ME for six months prior to being appointed as Postmaster in Fort Fairfield. Four years later, he was appointed to Postmaster in Presque Isle and subsequently retired from that position. During his early years with the post office, he obtained his real estate license and was a charter member of the Aroostook County Board of Realtors, serving in all offices of that organization. In that capacity, he built and sold homes, building over a dozen homes in the Caribou /Presque Isle area under the name of Maxwell’s Real Estate Agency. Mr. Susee was also a gifted artist, creating beautiful art by sandblasting original hand-drawn designs on glass, crystal and mirrors. He traveled extensively around the state of Maine, attending craft fairs and selling his work. He was an avid Ham Radio and Morse code operator, obtaining his license in 1981 and setting up his “Ham shack” that enabled him to communicate with fellow “Hams” all over the world either by voice or CW code through his call sign of KA1ENM. His love and natural aptitude for technology and science enabled him to connect with weather satellites, receive images from them and then send those images to his friends all over New England and as far away as the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific via his computer. He was a past member of the Parish of Precious Blood, Holy Rosary Catholic Church and served as editor of the church newsletter, a member of the Church Council and the Knights of Columbus. He and his wife enjoyed many years of retirement playing golf with friends, meeting new friends through the Ham Operators association and were members of the Caribou Country Club. He was a lifelong member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Virginia, his father and mother, Walter and Ida Susee, his brothers, Walter and Robert Susee and his sisters Jeanelle Tremblay and Rae Dow.He is survived by his daughter, Linda and husband Brian Emery of Cumberland, and his son Alan Susee of Fort Kent. He is also survived by his granddaughter Beth Emery of Boston, MA; grandson Christopher Emery of Windham; grandson Reverend Jonathan Susee and his wife Heather, of LaCross, VA; grandson Andrew Susee of Washburn; a brother, Donald Susee and wife Natalie of Caribou and many nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Mockler Funeral Home 24 Reservoir Street Caribou, Friday, May 11, 2012 at 11am until the time of services at 12pm from the chapel of the funeral home. Interment will take place at a later date at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Caribou. His family wishes to thank the staff at Crosswinds Residential Care in Fort Kent, ME for the excellent and compassionate care given to Mr. Susee in his last illness.
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