John Lemieux, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, attorney, world traveler, and lifelong learner, passed away peacefully surrounded by the family and people he loved.
John is survived by his wife, Jean; his sons, Marc and his wife, Jessica (Potenza) Lemieux; Paul; and David and his wife, Liz (Caballero) Lemieux; his grandchildren, Avery, Jacob, Valentina, and Mikaela; and his siblings, Peter, Michelle, and Anne-Marie.
John was born in Plattsburgh, New York, to Jerome and Anita Lemieux. He was the eldest of four children and grew up in a family that moved frequently because of his father's career with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Between 1948 and 1957, the family moved six times, and John rarely attended the same school for more than two grades at a time. Those early years helped shape the independence, adaptability, and curiosity that would remain hallmarks of his life.
As a boy, John became active in the Boy Scouts and earned the rank of Eagle Scout, an accomplishment that reflected the determination and commitment that would characterize him throughout his life.
After graduating from high school, John attended Wadhams Hall in Ogdensburg, New York, before continuing his education at St. Bonaventure University. In 1964, at the recommendation of his bishop, John traveled to Europe to continue his studies. From 1964 through 1968, he studied theology at the University of Louvain in Leuven, Belgium, earning a master's degree in theology.
John's four years in Europe became one of the defining experiences of his life. He traveled extensively, learned languages, worked on a farm in Burgundy, studied Dutch in Utrecht, learned Flemish, worked various jobs in the Netherlands, and explored Europe by motorcycle. More importantly, he had the opportunity to meet people from different cultures and see the world from perspectives very different from his own. He later described those years as the "education experience of my life."
In September 1971, John met Jeanette Kearney, known to nearly everyone as Jean. They quickly discovered shared values and a strong bond to one another. After only a handful of dates—including skiing and dinner—they decided they wanted to spend their lives together. They married in September 1972 and began building the family that would become the center of John's life.
John and Jean raised three sons, Marc, Paul, and David. John took enormous pride in his family and treasured his role as a husband, father, and grandfather. His grandchildren became an important part of his life: Marc and Jess's daughter Avery, and son Jacob, and David and Liz's daughters Valentina, and Mikaela.
John's commitment to education did not end with his master's degree. While working full-time and raising a young family, he enrolled in night school at Seton Hall University School of Law in 1975. He attended twelve hours of classes each week and completed the requirements in four years. During those years, he and Jean also welcomed two of their sons. John later joked that his wife deserved more than half of his law degree for everything she did to support him while he worked and attended law school.
John earned his law degree in 1979 and was admitted to the Rhode Island Bar in 1982. In 1986, he transferred to the legal department of Factory Mutual Insurance Company, where he worked until his retirement in 2009.
John was also deeply committed to helping others. From 1981 through 2015, John donated blood 144 times through the Rhode Island Blood Center - more than 18 gallons in total.
John and Jean moved to Rhode Island in 1980. For decades, their home served as the backdrop for family life, with their three boys growing up there and spending countless hours playing baseball. Their home also reflected John's lifelong love of books. Its rooms were filled with an extensive collection covering history, biographies, non-fiction, and the military.
Retirement did not mean slowing down for John. Instead, it gave him the freedom to pursue another lifelong interest. His fascination with Russia began when he was fifteen years old, sparked by an interest in the Russian Orthodox Church. After retiring, he decided to learn the Russian language and enrolled at Brown University. John did not attend Brown for academic credit. He attended simply because he wanted to learn.
John loved model trains and spent countless hours working on them during retirement. He built elaborate tracks and detailed scenery, incorporating trains and pieces he had collected and saved over several decades. It was a hobby he truly enjoyed and took great pride in.
John's passion for learning was perhaps the defining thread running through his entire life. From earning Eagle Scout as a boy, to studying theology in Europe, learning languages, earning a law degree while raising a family, traveling the world, donating more than 18 gallons of blood, building an extensive library, and studying Russian at Brown University in retirement, he never viewed education or personal growth as something that ended with a diploma or retirement.
He will be remembered for his intelligence and curiosity, his independence and sense of humor, his love of history and books, his adventurous spirit, his generosity toward others, and above all, his devotion to his family.
John lived a life marked by education, exploration, hard work, service, and an enduring desire to understand the world around him. He never stopped learning, never stopped asking questions, and never stopped looking for ways to make the most of the life he had been given.
A Memorial Mass will be held Friday, September 25, 2026 at 10am in St. Michael's Church, 80 Farnum Pike, Smithfield. Visitation respectfully omitted and burial will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. www.stjude.org
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital