In memory of Mike Lemay

Due to the circumstances going on today we were not able to give Michael a proper funeral. We would love to have a big memorial service for him when this is over. It is with tremendous sadness that we have to say goodbye to Michael Joseph Lemay who tragically passed due to complications caused by the Coronavirus. He left us on April 1, 2020 in the comfort of his home with his beloved wife Karen and his youngest son Shane. Anyone that knew him, knew this was exactly where he needed to be for peace. To encapsulate his life and put it into a few words is an impossible task. He was so much to so many people, but two things that mattered most to Michael were family and friends. Mike was an incredible friend to so many. He was that friend you could call on for help or simply to laugh and have a great time with. He was quick to smile and entertained us all with his karaoke. A party was not a party unless he got on the mic. Although his friends provided him incredible joy, his family meant the world to him. His life revolved around his family and he was committed to doing everything he could to help them. Pride, love, and admiration are all words that he used for his family. As a son, he was the oldest child who had to shoulder quite a bit of responsibility. He did this with love, strength, and a persistence to live up to the moniker associated with the eldest child. His parents were incredibly proud of the man he was. As a brother, you could not ask for any better. He would drop everything for any of his brothers and he would sacrifice everything to ensure the safety and well-being of them all. His love transcended that of typical brotherly love and allowed such strong bonds that many can only dream about. As a father, sacrifice, pride, and love, again, are the common characteristics he possessed for his children. In his eyes, they were perfect. The love he had for each of them can be characterized simply by saying he needed them in order to live. If you take away someone’s air, they will perish, this was the same about his children. He needed them for his survival and cherished his time with each of them. Michael’s entire demeanor changed when he talked about how proud he was of each of them. This brings us to the most important person in his life, his best friend and his only love, his wife Karen. Their love was pure and unmatched. He often said that Karen gave him life. These are not simply words or a cliché - they were his reality. He needed her strength and love to endure the many hardships and tribulations he faced throughout his life. She often hid behind him not knowing that it was, in fact, her strength that allowed Michael the freedom to fully grow and become the person we all loved. There is not enough time nor space to properly pay tribute to this amazing man; there are so many more aspects to his life, so many more stories, so many more lives he has touched. We all have moments that make us smile when we think of him. Pause from reading this and smile a bit thinking of him and paying him homage. We must say goodbye for now, but he will forever be a major part of our lives. He will forever live with each of us and will forever protect us. Draw upon his strength now to help guide us through this incredible sad time.