Emile and Marie-Jeanne Pasquette, a childless, middle-aged couple of modest means, lived in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire (Nievre), France. Emile, a roofer by trade, worked as a day laborer and served as a volunteer fireman. Marie-Jeanne was a nanny. To supplement their income, they grew vegetables in their garden and raised chickens.
One-year-old Marcel Pacowski arrived at the Pasquette home in 1934 because his immigrant parents earned their livelihood as itinerant peddlers selling shirts in the markets and needed to be mobile without worrying about the needs of a child. As their economic situation improved, they bought a house in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire.
In 1942 the Pacowskis turned to the Pasquettes once again, leaving Marcel in their custody while they found refuge in unoccupied France. Not long afterward, the Miszkowskis, Marcel’s parents' old friends, approached the Pasquettes and asked them to provide refuge for their 11-year-old daughter, Jeannette, which they agreed to do. The Pasquettes were soon faced with another request to shelter a Jewish child. Jeannette’s 6-year-old cousin, Yvette Szwec, was staying with another family but was very miserable there. Her mother begged Mrs. Pasquette to take her daughter too so that the cousins could be together, and she agreed. The Pasquettes were also caring for another little boy named Marcel (nicknamed Titi) at the time. Emile and Marie-Jeanne treated the children as if they were their own. They showered them with affection and disciplined them when necessary. At one point, after the aerial bombardment of the area, the Pasquettes moved the household to the larger Pacowski house, feeling that they would be safer there. They continued to take care of the children’s daily needs despite the fact that the German army had their headquarters in Cosne, and sheltering Jews was a grave crime. The neighbors knew that the children living with the Pasquettes were Jewish but did not betray them.
After the liberation of France, the children continued with their lives: Marcel and Yvette (later Hamon) went to Paris, Jeannette (later Taragin) moved to Israel, and Marcel (Titi) went to Canada; some remained in touch with Emile and Marie-Jeanne Pasquette.
On May 6, 2012, Yad Vashem recognized Emile and Marie-Jeanne Pasquette as Righteous Among the Nations.