Michael "Cold Patch" S. Kaskiewicz

Michael “Cold Patch” S. Kaskiewicz, age 76, of Stow, MA, decided he’d had enough of the liberals and made his final exit on Sunday, July 12, 2026. He passed away quietly - a rare feat for a man who spent his life making noise, moving dirt, and telling long-winded jokes.

Born in Concord, Massachusetts on June 7, 1950, Mike was practically born with diesel in his veins. He was the son of the late Michael “Hot Top” J. and Enid C. (Mansfield) Kaskiewicz, both of whom predeceased him. With a father nicknamed “Hot Top” and Mike earning the moniker “Cold Patch,” the Kaskiewicz men quite literally paved the way for the generations that followed.

Mike was raised and educated in Maynard. He had a reputation for having a wicked sense of humor and zero filter. He was ridiculously proud and protective of his moustache, probably because it’s the only facial hair he could grow. He was a self-proclaimed “dumb Pollack” who wore the label like a badge of honor – and even had a big party on his 35th birthday to celebrate finally “getting his brains.”

Starting in the late 1960s, Mike began his lifelong career with heavy machinery and big diesel rigs. He worked for the Sudbury Department of Public Works, hauled for Grace, was an operator for Maurer construction, and eventually spent years keeping the roads in good repair and clear for the Maynard DPW before finally retiring in 2016. If it had an engine, a bucket, or a set of tracks, Mike could drive it.

Somewhere between moving mountains of gravel, Mike managed to pull off his greatest heist: convincing Lorraine M. (Butler) to marry him on April 20,1979. Over the course of their 47 years of marriage, they resided in Acton, Maynard, and Stow.

Mike was a man who appreciated the finer, simpler things in life, like The Three Stoodges and a nice steak. His philosophy was simple: why drink water or anything else when there is a cold Miller Lite in the fridge, in his “survival kit” or at the club? He was happiest when he was not working and out of the house and in his element. Mike was an outdoorsman. He loved chasing white-tailed deer with his buddies in Upstate New York. If he wasn't in a tree stand, he was casting a line in a lake, river, or several miles outside of Boston Harbor waiting for the big one while enjoying a cold one.

Mike was a legendary fixture at the Maynard Rod and Gun Club with a reserved seat at the end of the bar next to his good friend Dennis Tuomi. He also frequented the Maynard-Clinton Lodge of Elks and would occasionally stop by The Eagles in Hudson. Regardless of where he was, he was almost always a total curmudgeon who preferred less talk.

Mike leaves behind a family that will miss his antics, his grumbling, and his big heart: His long-suffering but loving wife Lorraine M. Kaskiewicz of Stow, MA, his kids Michael R. Kaskiewicz of Stow and Jessica J. Halloran of Maynard. His sister Enid Wojtas and her wife Rosemary. The grandkids who he adored and made him soft: Michael W. Kaskiewicz, Rowan Halloran, Quinlan Halloran, and Maiti Halloran.

Respectful of his wishes, there will not be any services held. In lieu of flowers, cards, or casseroles, the family asks that you crack open a freezing-cold Miller Lite, light up a smoke, or go sit in the woods or by a body of water and think of Mike. He’d like that, maybe… just don’t talk out loud.