Louis "Louie" Emond

Louis “Louie” Emond, 71 years old, of D’Iberville, MS, died on July 22, 2024, in Gulfport, MS, due to cancer-related complications.

On September 21, 1952, Lucie and Wilfred Emond gave birth to their first born son, Louis “Louie” Emond, in Providence, RI. In his earliest years, he lived in the city until his father relocated them to rural Glocester. Louie told of many childhood mishaps with chickens, snakes, and life in a humble two-story home dating back to Colonial America with a granite block in the chimney with the year 1760 chiseled in it.

Louie attended and graduated from Ponaganset High School, Johnson and Wales College, and the University of Southern Mississippi. 

He met his sweetheart and future wife, Donna Lee LaRose, while attending Johnson and Wales. Louie and Donna were married on June 9, 1973. 

Louie enlisted in the United States Air Force in August 1972. While stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, FL, Louie and Donna welcomed their first of six children, Elizabeth Ellen Emond, on September 21, 1974. Seventeen months later, on February 27, 1976, they gave birth to Victoria Lee Emond. 

During those early days in the military, Louie traveled often. When he returned, Vicky wouldn’t recognize her father at first, so Donna would show her the photograph of him daily during his deployments, and Vicky would run into his arms, understanding that the person in the picture was her daddy.

From 1972 to 1992, he served in the United States Air Force, growing their family one at a time at each subsequent station he was assigned: Louis Peter Emond on May 31, 1978, on Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, NE; Catherine Marie Emond on February 24, 1981, on Yokota Air Force Base in Tokyo, Japan; David Michael Emond on November 10, 1984, on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX; and Susanna Joy Emond on August 5, 1986, at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS. In 1992, while still stationed at Keesler, Louis retired from the Air Force as a Tech Sergeant. 

After his military career, he worked as a computer programmer and business manager for Boatrax in Gulfport, MS, and then Fortress Mausoleums in Ocean Springs, MS, retiring in 2023.

The military called him Tech Sgt. Emond, but his many children called him Daddy and their friends called him “Papa Louie.” His church family knew him as Brother Louie. When not typing code for the military or working otherwise on computers, his family and church affiliations filled his time. He loved them and God with devotion.

His wife, Donna Lee (LaRose) Emond, preceded him in death, as well as his parents, Wilfred and Lucie Emond, and in-laws John Glen LaRose, Marion LaRose, Clifford “Buddy” LaRose, and Ellen Jean LaRose.

Louie is survived by his siblings Diane Greaves and her husband Robert, Wayne Emond and his wife Karen, Elaine Summers and her husband Michael, Wilfred Emond and his wife Lynn, Kenneth Emond, and former sister-in-law Eve Thorpe, his children Elizabeth Ellen Donlin, her husband Bernie Donlin, and their children Carissa Dunipace and her husband Stephen, Amber Harris and her fiancé Murphy Beasley, Alyssa Noel (Harris) Montano and her husband Hunter, John Donlin, and Lee Donlin; Victoria Lee Emond-Emerson, her husband Daniel Emerson, and their children Caleb Emerson and his fiancée Hannah Dwenger, Lilianna Emerson and her fiancé Ronald Campbell, IV, Isabella Emerson, and Joshua Emerson; Louis Peter Emond and his husband Kenneth King; Catherine Marie Brown, her husband Stephen Brown, and their children Logan Lando and his wife Heidi (Kirsch) Lando, Cody Lando and his fiancée Victoria Healey, Hannah (Lando) Tripp and her husband Benjamin Levi Tripp, and Emily Lando and her fiancé Justin King; David Michael Emond and his son Noah Emond; and Susanna Joy Hall and her children MaryEllen Emond, Elijah Hall, and Madison Hall. Many nephews, nieces, cousins, and spiritual family and friends also survive him in death.

The family has completed services. 

The family thanks the following individuals and organizations: Doctor Gao Jianjun and his oncology staff at MD Anderson, Doctor Michael Meshad and the Springhill Southern Cancer Center staff, and the care teams at Driftwood Rehabilitation Center and Gulfport Memorial Hospital's 4th floor unit where he spent so much time these past 6 months.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Louis “Louie” Emond.