Henry Lucien Eugene Thomas - A Funeral Mass for Lucien Henry 78 will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday June 14th 2012 at St. Peters Catholic Church 359 W. New York Ave. DeLand with Rev. Hilario Rivera officiating. Interment will follow the Funeral Mass at DeLand Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on Wednesday June 13th from 5:00 Pm until 7:00 Pm in the Deland chapel of Lohman's Funeral Homes. A Catholic Wake Service will begin at 6:30 PM with Deacon Bob LaPlante officiating. Lucien was born in Manville R. I. on February 18 1934 to Eugene and Bertha (Duhamel) Henry. He met and married the love of his life Alice St. Germain of Woonsocket R. I. on September 18th 1954 and they enjoyed 56 years of marital bliss before Alice predeceased him on March 11th 2010. In grade school the Nuns always picked Lou for the best parts in the school plays because he was such a character. He fondly remembered the hours that he had to spend memorizing his lines. As a young man Lou worked with his father in the family car repair business in Manville. He also started raising New Zealand Red rabbits as a hobby. Later "Henry & Son's Rabbitry" added a line of Checkered Giants. Eventually the father and son team settled on New Zealand Whites which they helped to develop into the rabbits which are shown today. Lou's father eventually became a well-known ARBA judge. Lucien later joined the Navy at the age of 17 and his parents had to sign for him to enlist at such a young age. Eugene Henry continued raising the rabbits while Lou was in the Navy. Lou also kept a rabbitry "Sailor Boys Rabbitry" whenever it was possible for him to do so during his Naval Career. Once in the early 70's he shipped a pair of rabbits to Italy and received $3 000.00 for the pair! Lucien retired from the U. S. Navy as a Chief after serving 20 years active service. He retired on July 07 1972. Lou loved his years of service to his country. He served proudly and honorably as a Jet Engine Mechanic and later as an Instructor. He served onboard three Air Craft Carriers first the USS Midway then the USS Forestall and finally the USS Constellation during the Vietnam conflict. Lou made Chief while serving in Rota Spain for 3 years. He was very proud of his hat collection which included every Air Craft Carrier that he served on as well as his Retired Navy hats. He wouldn't leave home without one.
When Lucien retired from the military he settled with his family in Florida. He always loved Florida. He went to school nights and got his "sheepskin" for Automotive Technology. He worked at Massey Chrysler Plymouth in Daytona Beach Florida as a Service Manager for 20 years. In typical "Lou" fashion he threw himself into his work and his customers loved him. He retired from Massey's at age 62. His whole life he worked in management. Lou loved to talk about cars especially Chrysler Products. He also loved to follow the Nascar races and never missed watching his favorite Richard Petty. Lou was very active in the Knights of Columbus organization. He worked the bingo and also volunteered at the annual St. Peters Summer Festival. He loved to attend Perpetual Adoration and he said three rosaries religiously every day. He and Alice said them together. After Alice passed away he would go every day and sit beside her grave and say them with her at the cemetery. Lucien especially enjoyed large gatherings at his home for the holidays. There were as many non-family members as family members invited. There was always plenty of delicious food and plenty of stories to go around. Lou spent his retirement years helping those in need. He always seemed to find people who needed him the most and he never complained. He was an excellent example of what every good Christian should be like. He was a wonderful loving husband and father to his three children. Lou and Alice are together again. He will be greatly missed by all those that knew and loved him. Lucien is survived by his three loving children Debra and her husband Jim of Pine Lakes FL. Brenda Forsyth and her husband Thomas IV of Franklin VT and Eugene Henry of Pine Lakes FL; nine grandchildren Amy Jacobs Alice Slease Christopher Jusick Jamee Jusick Thomas Forsyth V MM2 Joseph Forsyth Kenneth Forsyth Eugene Henry II Noah Henry; and five great grandchildren Joseph and Andrea Nadene Kaylee Jusick Jenna and Evan Forsyth. Lou is also survived by his brother George of Quaker Hill Conn his brother Norman of Niantic Conn his sister Marguerite Bock of Chula Vista CA and his sister Jeanne Schembri of Spring Valley CA. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Deland.