Emil Arthur L'Homme Jr.

Emil Arthur L’Homme Jr, 93, passed away on December 3rd, 2024 in Cary, NC. He was born in Gardner, Massachusetts on June 20th, 1931 and was the oldest of three sons born to Emile J. L’Homme (Gardner MA) and Diana L’Homme (St Claude Richmond Pq, Canada). Emil was a devoted, lifelong Catholic. He attended La Sallette Seminary in Enfield, NH during part of his teen years, later graduated high school from St Bernard High School in Fitchburg MA, and received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Tampa College. Emil happened upon meeting his wife Ella at a dance. He had previously seen her picture in the paper and thought to himself he’d like to meet her. Emil and Ella were married on May 30th, 1952. They had a beautiful wedding officiated by Father J. Charles Gendreau held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Gardner, MA. Emil and Ella cherished 71 years of marriage and were always together. Prior to their marriage, Ella had worked as a phone operator. On some occasions, Emil would place a phone call and Ella would be the operator to patch the call through. Emil would take the opportunity to say hello to Ella. They both were of deep Catholic faith and enjoyed the times when Emil was an altar boy for mass supporting delivery of the Eucharist to Ella (as well as other parishioners). Throughout their years, Emil enjoyed visiting the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro, MA and Our Lady of La Salette in La Salette, France. A few years after their wedding, Emil became a soldier due to wars in Korea and Israel. He started off in the national guard, but soon joined the regular Army as a quartermaster. Emil’s tours of duty included: • Three tours of duty in Germany: Frankfurt, Bremerhaven, and Pirmasens • Univ of Rhode Island ROTC • Ft Meade: 42nd Transportation Battalion • Two tours in Viet Nam: 509 RR Group / 175th RR FS; and HQ 5th Battalion 16th Artillery • Tour in Turkey: USA HQ TUSLOG Det 4 • And Ft Benning: 931st Engineering Group; and 197th Infantry Brigade Emil’s family accompanied him on all assignments except Turkey and Viet Nam. He and Ella enjoyed their three assignments to Germany with a child born during each of the three tours. The family was blessed to travel with Emil around Europe enjoying sites such as Oberammergau; Garmisch; Innsbruck, Austria; Berchtesgaden, Germany; and King Ludwig’s Linderhof Palace. Emil’s last army tour to Pirmasens, Germany holds cherished memories for many of Emil’s children. In their travels around western Europe, Emil and Ella were overjoyed to be able meet up with some other family members that happened to also be stationed in Europe. After the military, Emil and Ella moved back to Tampa, Florida for college. After college, Emil joined the Farm Credit Administration until his retirement in 1989. Emil’s civil service years brought them to Raleigh, NC; Columbia, SC; Fairfax, VA; Marietta, GA. Emil became a CNA and worked with Quad patients while living in Marietta, GA. For full retirement, they settled in Holly Springs NC for 22 years. Emil took on a very diligent genealogy project to map out his family tree. His research yielded an extensive library mapping multiple family lines back to France in the 1600s and a few to the 1500s. In the latter years, Emil and Ella needed extra care and lived in Apex, NC, and finally Fuquay Varina, NC. During those six years, Emil and Ella received daily loving and dedicated nursing care from their daughter Marie. Emil (and his family) is eternally grateful! Emil is survived by his brother Roland L’Homme; six children Denise Guastella, Charles L’Homme (Teri L’Homme), Marie Surrency, Albert L’Homme (Deanna L’Homme), Theresa Martin (Bill Martin), and Rachel Dettlaff (Chris Dettlaff); 13 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; and 7 great-great grandchildren. Emil was predeceased by his wife Ella, by his father Emile J. L’Homme, mother Diana L’Homme (Vezina), brother Paul L’Homme, daughter Claire L’Homme, granddaughter Christina Surrency, grandson Ryan L’Homme, son-in-law John Guastella, son-in-law Bill Surrency, and one great grandchild Mathieu Novo. In lieu of flowers, Emil wishes for people to make donations to his favorite charities: • La Sallette Missionary Association • Archdiocese for the Military Service, USA • Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW • St Andrews Catholic Church, Apex, NC Emil’s funeral will be held at St Andrew’s Catholic Church in Apex, NC on December 12th, 2024. • 11:45am Eulogy by Denise Guastella • 12:00pm Funeral Mass officiated by Father John Durbin • 2:00pm burial at Raleigh Memorial Park officiated by Father John Durbin; military honors will be bestowed

Emil Arthur L'Homme Jr.

June 20, 1931 - December 3, 2024