A true family man, Franz Euler III (1933-2025) was curious, thoughtful, highly creative and handy with cars, boats, and woodworking. He and his wife shared a love of sailing, bicycling, and cross-country skiing. His family cherished his constant support of their careers and hobbies. He admired elegance and had gracious manners.
Franz was born in South Orange, New Jersey. His mother died when he was a child, and his father soon re-married, giving Franz and his two older sisters an additional sister and brother.
He graduated from the Hill School and briefly attended Cornell University, where he joined Psi Upsilon. Later he graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with an electrical engineering degree and membership in Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society. He joined the Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant, sailed on an icebreaker, and was categorized as a noncombatant Korea veteran.
He was drawn to explore his German roots and traveled to Frankfurt to work in manufacturing while simultaneously reconnecting with numerous relatives. Upon return to the US, he moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he repaired commercial dishwashers, and soon met his wife Margo through mutual friends. They had their first date at Community Boating on the Charles River; they were married in Wellesley.
They had two daughters while living in Concord, and moved to Hingham when his longtime employer, Litecontrol, moved from Watertown to Hanson. Franz loved being a dad. His sense of humor kept him young for a lifetime, and he was an
attentive listener. He was affectionate, enjoying hugs, backscratches, and bestowing nicknames on those he loved. He improvised marvelous stories for his young daughters at bedtime.
At Litecontrol, Franz was known for innovative lighting product development, often amusing himself and others by quixotically naming the fixtures. He was active in the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), where he gave several speeches at the national level. After retiring, Franz continued to do consulting work and to mentor junior lighting designers. A gifted teacher, he was the kind of introvert who loved people, and he maintained lifelong connections to his protégés.
In his golden years, Franz reveled in connection and play with his precious grandson. He always enjoyed going out for breakfast or coffee with his son-in-law or a dear friend, whether locally or near New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee, the family’s favorite summer destination.
He never took people for granted, continually appreciating his family, friends, caregivers, and community. He prized his German language, traditions, and ancestry. He was known for a remarkable memory for vocabulary, sayings, and jingles, and was on a winning spelling team for three years running in his eighties. He and Margo celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this summer.
Franz is survived by his beloved wife Margo Euler of Hingham, Massachusetts; daughter and son-in-law Karen and Gus Abusheleih and their son Zac, also of Hingham; daughter Liesel Euler of Los Angeles, California; brother and sister-in-law George and Gloria Morson of Petaluma, California, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Chum and Sally Howe of Bozeman, Montana and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He is pre-deceased by his parents and three sisters.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders.