Wallace John LeMerise (aka Ed) was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 18th, 1932. Wallace passed away from viral pneumonia in Troy, Michigan on March 29th, 2020. Ed is survived by his wife Maryann, of 64 years, his 4 daughters, Bernadette (Kevin) Caullay, Jennifer (John) Bickel, Faye (Joseph) Sciacchitano, Helen (Mark Barnowski) Prater, and his 2 sons, Philip (Sue) LeMerise and John (Michelle) LeMerise. Ed had 20 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren (including one on the way). He was 87 years of age at the time of his death.
Wallace was the son of Walter Joseph LeMerise and Helen Miller and the brother of Robert (Betty) LeMerise and is survived by his sister Ruth (Richard) Switalski.
Eddy (as his family knew him), was raised on Lyford Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Holy Rosary High School on June 11, 1950. Ed worked in a variety of occupations in his teen years including the Bike Rental Concession on Belle Isle, servicing customers and providing bicycle maintenance and worked as a Bell Hop at the Lee Plaza Hotel in Downtown Detroit. In 1952, at the age of 20, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Rhein-Main Air Base near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Ed was honorably discharged on February 7th, 1955.
On June 25th, 1955, Ed married Maryann Catherine Swartz of Warren, Michigan. Together they raised their 6 children in the suburbs of Shelby Township and Sterling Heights. Ed was a Journeyman Machinist, Toolmaker by trade. He worked at various Tool & Die shops in Warren and was hired by Chrysler at the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant as a Plate Inspector, Tool Engineer and Supervisor from 1969-1984. After the Chrysler acquisition by General Dynamics, Ed was a Supplier Quality Inspector for General Dynamics until 1994 and at the age of 62, he semi-retired. In 1995, Ed and Maryann moved to Fairfield Glade Retirement Community, in Crossville, Tennessee where they lived for 15 years. In 2010 they moved back to Michigan to live out the remainder of their years. While in semi-retirement, Ed continued to subcontract for General Dynamics as a Supplier Quality Inspector until he was 80 years of age.
Ed will be remembered by many for his generosity, hard work, honesty, encouragement, bear hugs and his willingness to lend a helping hand. He always put his family first. He loved his wife and children, his country and was proud of his military service. He loved being alive and enjoyed the holidays (especially Christmas), old war movies, sharing stories, taking family rides in the car, a good steak, ice cream cones, and family vacations. Wallace J. LeMerise, (aka Eddy) will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
A memorial service is planned for Friday, August 21, 2020 at 9:00 AM at The River Church, 8393 E. Holly Road, Holly, Michigan 48442. Military Honors will follow at 11:00 AM at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly with a luncheon following at the American Legion Post 149, 408 Saginaw Street, Holly, 48442.
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