Obituary: Harry Thomas Lemmon, SLI Basketball and Track & Field 1950-52, Military Veteran 54-56, Associate Justice, La. Supreme Court
Harry Thomas Lemmon Obituary
Harry Thomas Lemmon, Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of Louisiana from 1980-2001, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Good Friday, April 18, at age 94. Born in Morgan City, Louisiana, to Earl and Gertrude (Blum) Lemmon in 1930, Harry excelled in athletics and academics at Morgan City High School and then at Southwestern Louisiana Institute, where he graduated with a degree in Chemistry and received the Alumni Award for Outstanding Graduate. After serving in the Army and working as a chemist, he entered Loyola Law School. While there, he met Mary Ann Vial, who would become his partner in life and law for 64 years. He graduated at the top of his class while also starting his fast-growing family. In 1970, he was elected to the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal, where he served until he was elected to the Supreme Court of Louisiana in 1980. Throughout his legal career, he taught law school pro bono at Loyola, Tulane, and Louisiana State University. He chaired the Ainsworth Lecture Committee, which brought prestigious national and international dignitaries to speak at Loyola. He served on the Visiting Committee for Loyola Law School, where he ensured that the curriculum met the highest standards of professional education. He co-authored Louisiana Civil Law Treatise on Civil Procedure with Professor Frank L. Maraist. In addition to his scholarly legal contributions, Harry’s extensive civic involvement included serving on the Board of Directors of Associated Catholic Charities, the American Judicature Society, and the American Inns of Court. He chaired the Board of Governors of the Louisiana Judicial College and the American Bar Association’s Appellate Judges Education Institute, and served on multiple Louisiana Law Institute committees. Honors and awards include induction into the Morgan City High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Louisiana Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Jurist Award, Loyola Law School St. Ives Award, an honorary degree from LSU, induction into LSU Law Center’s Hall of Fame, honorary membership in LSU’s Order of the Coif, and an honorary Doctor of Laws from Loyola Law School. While Harry loved the Constitution and the law, his greatest treasures were his children and grandchildren. From coaching their sports teams to teaching them to fish and swim to helping with homework, Papa found joy in the daily experiences of parenthood. In the way he lived his life, he demonstrated unconditional love, faith, and kindness. In summary, to quote his dear friend Judge Bill Redmann, Harry had “a warm heart, a bright mind, and an open hand.” Harry is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 64 years, Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, District Judge of the Eastern District of Louisiana. He is also survived by his six children and thirteen grandchildren: Andrew, his wife Joni, and his son Stuart; Mary Lauren and her children Patrick and Mary Elise; Roslyn and her children Mary Ann “Annie,” Noah, and William; Carla, her spouse Shawn, and their children Adam, Nate and Ben; Jake and his children James, Luke, Mark, and Matthew; and Patrick and his spouse Michelle Hynes. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Justice Lemmon’s honor be made to Loyola University College of Law, ATTN Justice Harry T. Lemmon Memorial Fund, 7214 St. Charles Avenue, Box 909, New Orleans, LA 70118 or made online at https://spark.loyno.edu/collegeoflaw; or to the Historic New Orleans Collection, Office of Development, 533 Royal Street New Orleans, LA 70130 or online at https://hnoc.org/support/donate/5financial-donation. Relatives and friends are invited to visit at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, Loyola University, 6367 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118 on Thursday, April 24, 2025, starting at 1:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will follow the visitation at 3:00 PM. We also invite you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www.greenwoodfh.com. Your shared memories will help us celebrate Harry’s life and keep his memory alive.
Published on April 24, 2025 Posted by Ed Dugas, April 26, 2025
Athletic Network Footnote: Please click www.athleticnetwork.net , then News story for complete obituary. To view photos of the 1950-52 Basketball and Track & Field Teams, visit the Photo Gallery > either sport and either year. You may also type in Lemmon in the Last Name block and click on his name to view the profile he submitted. Thanks. Our condolences to his family and friends. Peace, Ed
"In Memory of Paul D. Dugas; 3/2/1964 - 1/13/2003; L'Acadien Copy Manager, 1985; Vermilion editor, 1987 and Kenneth Lane Spears; 7/23/39 - 7/28/97; USL Alumnus and High School Coach."
