Maurice Centner

Maurice Brian Centner, 68, passed away October 7, 2018 after a lifelong battle with several health problems.
Maurice (known to his family and friends as Maury and Mo) was born March 19, 1950 in Corpus Christi, Texas, the middle sibling in a family of nine children. Mo was afflicted with severe asthma since birth and burdened with tough medical treatments throughout his life. Nevertheless, he dealt with these hardships with perseverance and grace. Mo was a natural engineer, experimenting and building complex machines and devices even before he hit his teens. His neighbors in Las Cruces New Mexico came to see a massive Tesla coil he built from scratch that dramatically filled the entire garage with spectacular sparks. Inspired by nearby White Sands Missile Range, Mo also experimented with missiles, explosives and chemicals in the region's vast desert. Mo received an Electrical Engineering degree from New Mexico State University, and his interests led him to a career as a civilian with the U.S. Army, helping to ensure our military forces entered battle with the finest equipment. Mo provided his engineering expertise to White Sands, Washington, DC, Lexington Blue Grass Army Depot, and finally to Redstone Arsenal. Mo is remembered not only as an excellent engineer, but as someone whose wit and humor graced others with laughter and happy memories. Only overwhelming health problems forced him to retire from his long career.
Mo was preceded by his parents, CAPT Richard and Margaret (Hanlon), and his brother, Joseph. He is survived by his siblings, Richard, David, Albert, Mary (Nagore), Michael, Helen, and Christopher, and numerous nieces and nephews. He leaves behind many wonderful friends, especially Mary and Bob Smith, who lovingly cared for him in his final years, and their dog Willie, who was devoted to Mo.