Niels Asboe Jorgensen

Niels Jorgensen, known to his family as “Lasse,” passed away on October 25, 2025. He was beloved by his friends and family and approached life with kindness, humor, and an engineer’s mindset. Niels was born during the occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany in 1940. Armed gendarmes stood watch on a hill overlooking his home in Aarhus, a Viking city established in the 8th century. It is the second largest city in Denmark. The unexpected arrival of a new baby in the Jorgensen household during the war provided a light during a dark time and resulted in Niels receiving a family nickname of Lasse, translated little lass. Lasse often wore a knitted cap with the Danish flag colors of red and white, as he was pushed around in his stroller, parading a subtle form of war time resistance. He was the youngest of 5 and the tallest, at 6’3.” He was the son of a tobacco merchant and a mother who emphasized the importance of achieving a good education. During his youth he spent summers sailing the salt waters of Denmark with his oldest brother.

Niels graduated from The Technical University of Denmark, part of the University of Copenhagen, in 1965 with a master’s in mechanical engineering. He applied for a visa to work and study in the US with the objective of learning advanced business practices before returning to Denmark. He arrived at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1965 and then worked for Hobart Bros. in Troy, Ohio, until he joined General Electric in 1967. That same year, Niels married Susan Rose in Ohio. He held several senior positions at General Electric, including head of the production engineering department in G.E.’s Capacitor Department at Hudson Falls, N.Y. In August 1975, Niels returned to Denmark with Susan to work for A/S Thomas, Sabroe & Co as Factory Administrative Director. The couple resided in Hojbjerg, a suburb of Aarhus, where their two sons, John and Christian were born.

After 6 years in Denmark, the family returned to the US, living in Westfield NJ before moving to Simsbury, CT, where they lived for the next 26 years. From 1983–1987, Niels worked for Novenco, Inc, as President and General Manager, until he joined Dunham Bush, later renamed Hartford Compressors, Inc, in West Hartford, CT as General Manager, COO. Niels became an American citizen on March 5, 1999. Lasse was above all else a devoted family man. He spent countless hours helping his boys with their math homework, ensured family connections were maintained across geographic distances, and used sports to bond and find common interests with his boys. They were engaged in tennis, golf, soccer, baseball, football, and cycling. They shared a keen interest in automobiles, which included design, mechanics, and racing. Lasse, who brought his love of classical music and jazz with him from Denmark, enthusiastically supported his boys’ musical training.

Niels and his family flew to Denmark often over the years. It became a habit to sponsor Asboe Jorgensen family reunions to honor someone’s round birthday. These affairs increased in size as the years went by, staged in Denmark, Scotland and the US. Niels retired from R & D Dynamics Corp. in West Hartford, where he shared a patent for a motor-driven two-stage centrifugal air-conditioning compressor. He moved to Arnold, MD in 2010 to be closer to his son and family. He enjoyed taking courses at Anne Arundel Community College in photography, French and art, and playing bridge.

Niels was predeceased by his parents Niels Andreas Jorgensen and Ingeborg Larsen, his oldest son John Leslie Asboe in 2005, and each of his siblings, with his last brother and sister passing away shortly before he did – all within 10 months of each other. He is survived by Susan, his son Christian, daughter-in-law Julie, and his adored granddaughters Grace and Ella. He also leaves behind many friends, both here and abroad, including neighbors and fellow bridge players. A voracious reader to the end, Niels became increasingly worried about the health of our planet and the mismanagement of our present administration. He had faith Americans would get out and vote to preserve our precious democracy.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the John Jorgensen Endowed Cello Scholarship, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT, 06117, attn Christine E. Adams – or to the ACLU. A Celebration of Life will be held at Unity by the Bay, 4 Pointless Forest Trail, Annapolis, MD, 21409, December 13 at 11:30 am.

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