Emile Joseph LaSalle

Emile Joseph LaSalle passed away on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009 at home in Atascadero, at the age of 90. Born of French immigrant parents, Emile entered this life on June 2, 1918 in Bellflower, Calif.

Emile excelled in many careers during his lifetime as a high school agriculture teacher, vocational education supervisor and farmer.

When Emile started school, he spoke only French. Being the bright and energetic child he was, they skipped him to first grade when he was five.

His parents owned a dairy and farm and instilled in Emile at an early age the importance of hard work. He graduated in 1935 from Norwalk Excelsior High School and excelled in track and tennis. He was an active member of the Future Farmers of America and upon graduation from high school, he attended Cal Poly as an agricultural major. There were only 135 students at Cal Poly at that time and in 1938, Emile was Student Body Treasurer. It was at the dairy barn on campus that Emile met his future wife, Helen McPhee, the eldest daughter of Cal Poly's president, Julian McPhee. They fell in love and married on July 11, 1942 at Mission San Luis Obispo.

Emile graduated with a B.S. degree from Utah State in dairy science. His first agriculture teaching assignment was in Manteca, until World War II started. Emile enlisted in the United States Navy and served until April 1946. In 1948 Emile and Helen started a dairy in Hanford and eventually Emile returned to a career in vocational agricultural education at Hanford High School, where he taught from 1953 until 1966.

Hanford High School's agriculture department was well known for the FFA chapter's award-winning judging teams and the high standards he set for his students. He inspired many of them to pursue successful careers in the field of agriculture, including agricultural education.

He traveled as an agricultural consultant for the Agency for International Development to Guatemala, Honduras, and Argentina. Emile served as the South Coast Regional Supervisor for the State Department of Vocational Education, with his office located at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, until 1976. He also served on the Atascadero School Board for many years and was active in other local community projects.

In 2000, Emile was inducted into the California Agriculture Teachers Association (CATA) Hall of Fame. The California State FFA Foundation honored him as a "Pioneer in Agricultural Education" at their annual Blue and Gold Gala in April of 2008.

In his retirement years he focused on farming, one of his many loves. At the age of 80 he began farming alfalfa hay near Stratford and continued to commute from Atascadero until two days before his death to his 800-acre farm. He had a true passion for farming and was blessed to be able to drive his tractor on his 90th birthday. One of his greatest joys the last few years of his life was to drive to the University Dairy at Cal Poly and watch the cows relish eating hay he had raised. He also took great delight in visiting with the Cal Poly students about agriculture.

Emile often spoke of the importance of family and how the good Lord had blessed him with a wonderful wife and six children. He was also fortunate to have a wonderful support system of devoted neighbors and caregivers, especially in the last few months of his life.

Emile was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Helen, his parents, Joe and Claire LaSalle, and his sister Anne Mullen.

He is survived by his brother, Frank LaSalle of Santa Rosa and six children, Michael LaSalle (Yvonne) of Hanford, Timothy LaSalle (Judelon) of Pennsylvania, Mary Rickert (Jim) of Fall River Mills, Calif., Robert (Joanne) of Firebaugh, Patricia Hill (Tom) of Terrebonne, Ore., and Gerard of Apple Valley, Minnesota. He was very proud of his 17 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He is also survived by several sister-in-laws, brother-in-laws and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, Jan. 16, at St. Williams Catholic Church in Atascadero. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Grangeville Cemetery in Armona.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Emile LaSalle Scholarship Fund, or any foundation or organization that touched Emile's life.

Arrangements are under the direction of Chapel of the Roses in Atascadero.