Judge Auger remembered for optimism, work ethic
Apr. 27—Connecticut Superior Court Judge Matthew Auger, a longtime New London-based lawyer whose family and friends said had stayed true to character and maintained an upbeat temperament in the face of a long battle with cancer, died Saturday at the age of 65.
Auger, formerly of Gales Ferry and Groton and living in Westbrook at the time of his death, was remembered this week by friends, family and former colleagues as a "glass half full" kind of guy, said attorney Jack Collins of the Suisman Shapiro law firm in New London.
"And that's the way he approached the practice of law and work as a judge and more importantly the way he approached life," Collins said.
Collins had worked with Auger for many years at Suisman Shapiro where Auger had concentrated on civil litigation. The two were good friends.
"He was an outstanding trial lawyer, a great judge and an even better person," Collins said.
Auger is survived by his wife, Lesley, four children and six grandsons.
Auger started working at Suisman Shapiro in 1988 and was a senior partner and trial lawyer when he was appointed to serve as a Superior Court judge in 2018. Auger previously had served four years in the Navy and retired as a captain in the Judge Advocate General Corps of the U.S. Naval Reserve in 2014.
Hartford Judge Edward "Ted" O'Hanlan of Old Lyme, a longtime friend of Auger, remembered Auger as someone who valued family and service. O'Hanlan, who also served as a Navy JAG, had volunteered with Auger to provide free legal assistance to retired and active duty military and their families at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton. In 2015, Auger was honored with others for his work with the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, which helps veterans recovering from homelessness and mental illness overcome legal barriers to housing, healthcare and income.
"He just had this way with people and an interest in helping people. He was also very effective. Matt was the real deal," O'Hanlan said.
O'Hanlan said he, like others who knew Auger, remember his strong work ethic and ability to stay positive, even working through cancer treatments and a major surgery.
"He never lost his belief he was going to beat it. He never was down. He believed in himself, had faith in God and his family. Matt just treated it like something that was on his plate and he was going to deal with it," O'Hanlan said.
After his appointment as a Superior Court judge in 2018, Auger worked in Hartford Superior Court, Danielson Superior Court and beginning in 2019 at the Putnam Judicial Courthouse where he served as assistant administrative judge for the Windham Judicial District.
Superior Court Judge Ernest Green Jr. worked with Auger for several years in Putnam. The two became good friends.
"He was an amazing guy, a compassionate guy and he was a great judge," Green said.
Green said glancing around the decor in a judge's chambers is one way to determine what's important to that judge.
"There were pictures of his family everywhere. He adored his family..." Green said.
There was also a sign in Auger's chambers that read, "The most important things in life are not things."
"He really believed that," Green said.
Tammy and Joe de la Cruz, founders of Groton-based Community Speaks Out, both said they were heartbroken with the news of Auger's death. Community Speaks Out was formed in 2014 to help find resources for families battling addiction.
After the formation of Community Speaks Out, Auger was handling a malpractice case and representing the family of a woman who had died at the age of 32 of a methadone overdose just hours after being released from a hospital emergency room.
Auger, who had also served as Groton's town attorney, started attending Community Speaks Out's regular monthly family support meetings. Joe de la Cruz said Auger formed a deep connection with the group and was instrumental pushing them towards nonprofit status. Suisman Shapiro later represented the group at no cost to obtain nonprofit status in 2016.
"It all started with him showing up," Joe de la Cruz said.
Joe de la Cruz stayed in touch with Auger and received a call earlier this month in which Auger urged de la Cruz to run for an open Groton Town Council seat.
Tammy de la Cruz said Auger had lent his support to her and her family through times of tragedy. The de la Cruz's lost their son Joey Gingerella, the inspiration for the start of Community Speaks Out, when he was shot and killed in 2016 while trying to protect a woman who was being assaulted by her boyfriend.
"He was unbelievable. One of a kind," Tammy de la Cruz said of Auger. "He was like a protector for me, someone I felt safe with.... that person you knew was there and you didn't have to worry because he had your back. It's a big loss to our community. A big loss."
Auger's daughter, Bree Dolce, said her father was a hard worker and a humble man who never sought the spotlight.
"Out of all his professional accomplishments, and there were many, he was most proud of the family he created with his wife. That gave him more joy than anything," Dolce said.
Dolce said that after his cancer diagnosis her father had developed a strong faith and positive outlook. While statistics for surviving the disease were not on his side, Auger had asked his family not to research his odds because "he did not want to be a statistic."
"He felt very strongly that he would beat it. Despite the ending, I feel he did," Dolce said. "It's about the journey and not the final score. It's about how you lived and not what the final outcome was. That is essentially the being of who he was."
There will be a celebration of Auger's life at 11 a.m. on May 6 at 11 a.m. at the Groton Heights Baptist Church at 72 Broad St. in Groton.
"We would like the service to be a representation of how he lived his life so positive and full of joy, so we are asking people to wear joyful colors," Dolce said.
