Leo Earl "Joe" Lemere Jr.

Leo Earl "Joe" Lemere, Jr., passed away on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, due to a fall. He was 95 years old.
Born and raised in Laconia, N.H., Joe developed his love the outdoors early in life and passed that along to his kids. He attended Laconia High School, going on to earn his degree in engineering from Worcester Polytechnical Institute. While working at Esso, Joe met his soon-to-be wife, Betty. They married in May 1953 and then went on to have seven children, some of whom were born when they lived in Colombia, South America and Norway, in addition to living in France. Joe was a talented engineer; he built refineries around the world before he began a 30-year career with the Badger Company in 1961 in Cambridge Massachusetts. After living abroad, the family settled in Acton, Massachusetts. More recently, Joe lived independently at 'Robbins Brook' in Acton and 'Artisan at Hudson', where he enjoyed making new friends and generally having a good time.
Joe loved canoeing, hiking, camping and sports. Some of his favorite hikes were to the tops of Mount Monadnock and Mount Wachusett to take in the surrounding countryside. Joe and Betty both loved birds, so watching the migrations from these vantage points was special to them, and Joe was happy to have done a bit of that earlier this fall. He also delighted in feeding peanuts to crows. Joe loved all types of fishing including deep sea, freshwater, and ice fishing (and even video game fishing). For nearly all his life, Joe found joy in hiking and fishing at Dry River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
When he wasn't taking care of his family, Joe was always taking the time to care for or help others. He could fix pretty much anything; he loved to tinker with anything mechanical, ranging from toasters to waste management systems, but he especially loved working on cars. Being a true engineer, he often offered assistance and advice to his family, neighbors and the facilities wherever he lived. His ability to keep up with ever changing computer technology was impressive.
Joe had many friends from his work, his neighborhood and his volunteer efforts. He volunteered at Emerson Hospital in Concord for many years along with volunteering for Big Brothers and Sisters where he positively mentored and impacted the lives of kids. He drove for Meals on Wheels and gave many hours to committees and projects at Robbins Brook. Joe always showed kindness, respect and generosity to others. He was humble and always rooted for the underdog. Joe was truly, a "good guy", and a wonderful role model for his children.
Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Elizabeth (Betty). He leaves behind his children: Susan (Gary), Richard (Marcia), Thomas (Norah), Cynthia (Gerald), Nancy (Douglas), Michael (Miguel) and Robert. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Andrew (Kathryn), Maggie, Christopher (Jessica), Thomas (Adrian), Nicholas, Kevin and Daniel, plus his great-grandchildren, Lennon, Nora and Felix. Anthony and Kelsey were two other special people in Joe's life. In addition, Joe leaves many other extended family members and friends from all parts of his life.
To honor Joe's wishes, there will be a small, private interment in the late spring or early summer. A Celebration of Life Party for friends and family to share memories and photos of "Old Joe" (as he liked to call himself) will occur after the interment. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joe's name to: Saint Jude's, Doctors Without Borders or the Smile Train Foundation