William “Willie” Lemay, a key player on the Gabriel Homes Work Crew (GHWC), passed away on Feb. 13.
In his personal life and the public sector, Willie Lemay served his family, friends, and community and brought joy to everyone he met.
Willie graduated from Mount Vernon High School and earned his bachelor’s at American University.
He started at the United States Postal Service and transitioned to federal law enforcement. His experience prepared him for public sector leadership, where he served as chief of the Federal Protective Service at the General Service Administration.
“We always ran into people Willie knew because he met so many people at work,” said Sandy Lemay, Willie’s wife, laughing. “Whether we went to a different state, a store, or the airport, he’d track them down and say hi, even if he hadn’t seen them in 15 years.”
Friends say Willie’s best traits were his contagious smile and personality.
One of his best friends, Mickey Femino (right), introduced him to GHWC through Past Chairman Mike Holupka. Willie immediately gelled with the crew thanks to his happy-go-lucky attitude. No GHWC task was too large for Willie Lemay, whether he had to trim trees, spread mulch, or paint the homes.
“Willie and another crew member were painting a room one day, and the coat was looking good. They were nearly done when one of them knocked over the paint bucket. Paint was all over the carpet. They got the vacuum to suck the paint up, but they had the setting on exhaust. The paint spread all over the room. The crew then had to clean up the paint for about three hours.”
At home, one of Willie’s greatest passions was baseball. Willie played the sport in grade school and coached little league and travel softball for over 40 years. For many years, Willie coached Osbourn Park High School’s varsity softball team. The Nationals and college softball were always on the TV in the garage, and Willie talked endlessly about sports with his family.
“My dad was the reason I was an athlete and loved sports. We were all rooting for the same D.C. teams. My family bought tickets for games and arranged Super Bowl parties at their home. I moved around a lot when I got married, but our family stayed connected talking about sports.”
When Willie had more free time after retirement, golf became one of his top hobbies.
Willie could stay competitive and compete in a low-impact sport. His first time golfing was on a trip with Mickey, and he was forever hooked on the sport from there. Despite not being an event planner, Willie wrote itineraries for twice-a-year golf trips. The group traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Ocean City, Md., and golfed at local courses in Prince William County. Willie and members of GHWC were also regular golfers at the Gabriel Homes Golf Tournament.
Mike echoed Jack’s comments on golfing and doing the Willie Shuffle: “The golf course was so much fun with Willie. He always wanted to hit first and do the shuffle. We miss him very much.”
Willie took pride in helping others chase their dreams, be it on the baseball diamond or at our homes in Reston. He never served others for his own credit; he gave back because he loved people.
“Dad was a family-first person. He was always helping around the house and cared about developing deep relationships.”