Iconic Furniture Designer and Maker Thomas Moser
Dies at Age 90
53-year legacy builds the foundation for sustained success
Auburn, Maine — Thomas F. Moser, woodworker, author, and entrepreneur, died at his home on the coast of Maine on March 5, 2025. Tom and his wife Mary founded Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers in 1972 with a mission of making quality furniture that would, in his own words, “endure, add beauty, grace, and value to the lives of those who use it.” The business grew through his skill and deep commitment to customers and employees. Today, the company employs over 60 craftspeople and has built chairs for American presidents and cherished furniture family heirlooms for thousands of dedicated customers across the globe.
Educator, Craftsman, Collaborator
After earning his PhD in Rhetoric & Public Discourse, Tom taught college for over a decade before leaving the relative stability of a tenured professorship to pursue his true calling as an innovator, designer, and master craftsman. Those who worked side-by-side with Tom will tell you that his passion for creating beautiful furniture was only surpassed by his desire to teach others his craft.
“My father always believed that crafting furniture should be a collaborative venture,” says Tom’s son, Aaron Moser. “He relished passing along what he learned and, especially, eliciting input about design and craft from his team. It is a tribute to Tom that more than 70% of the craftspeople here have twenty years or more of experience and learned furniture making at his elbow. Their satisfaction comes not only from the tangible joys of working with wood but from teaching others what they’ve learned — things that Tom deftly engrained into the company that bears his name.”
The original group of Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers outside the New Gloucester, Maine Grange Hall that served as the company’s first workshop. Photo circa, 1981
From Left to Right: Dave Rogers, Dick Gagne, Paul Cote, Steve Curran, Mike Green, Jim Becker, Bruce Phillips, Tom Moser, Mary Moser, Chris Becksvoort, Bill Huston, Dave Vigneron, Ed Boyker, Kevin Rodel, Sue Mack
Early Champion For Sustainable Practices
Tom Moser’s vision extended well beyond the workshop. From the beginning, he felt that the highest form of sustainability was crafting furniture designed to serve families for generations. Tom believed that the functionality of a piece was an essential measure of its worth. He once wrote that the perfect piece of furniture “is one that respects the material from which it is made, fits the human body, and is comfortable, durable, and archetypal, giving the impression that adding, subtracting, or changing the proportions of any element would make it worse.” Decades before sustainability became a concern for most, he was practicing it. Tom cared about where and how his wood was sourced and made it a priority to ensure the forests they came from would continue to be healthy and productive.
A Handcrafted Legacy Built to Endure
Tom Moser insisted on acknowledging the contributions of everyone who helped build the company, saying, “My debt is to the craftsmen and women who make our furniture. They are Thos. Moser – not me, them.”
“That my father truly believed and lived those words set us up for continued success,” says Aaron Moser. “We will continue to build on his design sensibility, artistry, faith in our craftspeople, and gratitude for customers who appreciate handmade, sustainably built furniture for everyday living.”
As we look forward, we are confident in the foundation and sustainability of our business. And we are committed to the next 50 years of crafting fine furniture here in Maine and serving our loyal customers.
