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The Funeral Mass for soldier and NYPD Det. Joseph G. Lemm at St. Patrick’s Cathedral last Dec. 30 was huge. Hundreds of police, members of the military and family joined together to say goodbye.
A procession of 100 police motorcycles escorted the casket down Fifth Avenue as drums beat and “Taps” was played. It was a testament to the amazing life of a hero nicknamed Superman by his peers because of his size and bravery.
On May 21, another memorial was held, including a Mass in Lemm’s honor at Church of the Resurrection in Dubuque, Iowa. The liturgy and ceremony that followed were much smaller and more intimate than the Funeral Mass, but no less powerful for the family and friends who attended.
“This was my closure because we were all together as a family,” said Janet Graff, Lemm’s aunt and godmother, who was there at Resurrection and also was present at the Mass in Manhattan.
Many of Lemm’s family who hail from Dubuque and nearby areas were unable to attend the New York funeral, so they came together in Iowa to remember their loved one.
Lemm lived in Bernard, Iowa, until age 7, when he and his mother Shirley Lemm moved to Beemer, Neb. Lemm’s father, Charles Ronek is a resident of New Vienna, Iowa, and his aunt is a member of Resurrection parish.
Lemm’s parents, his wife, Christine DiGuisto, and his 4-year-old son, Ryan attended the events in Dubuque. (Lemm and his wife also have a daughter, Brooke.) The United States Air Force (USAF), the New York Police Department (NYPD), the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and American Legion Post 6 all had representatives at the Mass.
Father Christopher Monturo, Lemm’s pastor from St. Anthony of Padua parish in West Harrison, concelebrated the liturgy with Father Joseph Hauer, pastor of Resurrection, and Father Mark Murphy, parochial vicar.
The music, homily, and prayers were meaningful to many of those who attended, according to Ms. Graff. One of the hymns sung at the Mass, “Be Not Afraid,” echoed Lemm’s attitude.
“It was very moving for me because Joe would not be afraid,” she said.
Joseph Lemm, 45, served 15 years with the NYPD. He enlisted in the Air Force soon after graduating from high school, and later became an Air National Guardsman while also serving on the police force. He was promoted to technical sergeant with the 105th Base Defense Squadron, deploying once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan.
He was killed on Dec. 21, 2015, when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted his unit while they were patrolling a village near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Lemm and five other military personnel — Staff Sgt. Peter Taub, USAF Maj. Adrianna Vorderbruggen, Staff Sgt. Michael Cinco, Staff Sgt. Chester McBride and Staff Sgt. Louis Bonacasa — lost their lives in the attack, according to a report from CNN.
Dedication to his family and service to his city and nation distinguished Lemm’s life. The decorated policeman stood six feet four inches and weighed 250 pounds. Although powerful, he preferred to talk to the people he encountered during police duty on the streets rather than using force to make an arrest.
In 2006, he was nominated for a New York Post Liberty Medal after he chased down and caught three suspects involved with stabbing a teenager, according to news reports.
“He was a big bear, but he was a gentle bear,” his aunt said. “He always had a dream of being a policeman.
“Joe was…a very caring person,” she recalled. “He was a listener. He stared at you. He didn’t just look the other way when you were talking.”
He was accepted to the police academy and was in his rookie year as a beat cop when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks took place. He was among the first responders at ground zero.
“He called his mother asking for money to buy boots because his boots were burning in the rubble,” Ms. Graff said. “He slept only two hours a night and he was (back on the scene).”
Until his last moment, Lemm was reportedly putting others before himself. “He knew there was something wrong and he stepped in front of his fellow soldier from New York (Staff Sgt. Bonacasa),” Ms. Graff said.
Dan Russo is editor of The Witness, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa.
