Emery Domingue

Funeral Services will be held at a 1:00 pm Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, February 29 in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers for Emery Domingue, 86, who died on Sunday February 26, 2012 at his residence. Interment will take place in the Lafayette Memorial Park, Lafayette, Louisiana. Emery Domingue was born January 9, 1926, in the community of Scott, Louisiana, the son of Lucien and Mathilde (n'e Hebert) Domingue. He is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Beatrice 'Bea' (n'e Broussard); their three sons: Dave; Cal and his life partner Allan Galanter, of San Francisco; and Kevin and his wife Yvonne Diaz Domingue; his sister Hazel Domingue Chauvin; his niece Mary Chauvin Kramer and her son Captain Chris LaCour, U.S. Army; his niece Carole Chauvin O'Hara, husband Dennis, and their children Bubber & Molly and his nephew Thomas Chauvin, wife Charlene and their sons Jamie, Jason and Eric. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant daughter, Diane Marie. Mr. Domingue graduated from Scott High School. He began studies at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI, now ULL), but interrupted his studies to serve in multiple European campaigns with the U.S. Army's 20th Armored Division during World War II, for which he received a Good Conduct Medal, Small Bore Rifle Marksmanship Medal, and Combat Infantryman's Badge. Because French was his mother tongue, he, like others from South Louisiana, was pressed into service as an unofficial translator for his unit, and he came back from the war with a number of tales of adventures and mis-adventures. He returned from the service to complete his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from SLI, which is where he and Bea met. He was first employed in the right-of-way section of the Louisiana Department of Highways from 1949 to 1950, then by the East Texas Construction Company from 1950 to 1951. Having served during his senior year as a student instructor, he joined the Civil Engineering faculty at SLI where he was employed from 1951 to 1961. During this time, he completed an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and taught many students who would go on to successful engineering careers in public service and private practice. With two other faculty members, he co-founded Lafayette's first consulting engineering firm (now known as Domingue, Szabo, & Associates, Inc.), where he served as President until his semi-retirement from the firm in 1991. Emery was inducted in Chi Epsilon, a Civil Engineering Honor Society. He was registered to practice Civil Engineering in the states of Louisiana and Texas and to practice Land Surveying in the state of Louisiana, and was listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in Science and Engineering. Engineering was one of Emery's lifelong passions, and he was active in numerous professional organizations. In the Consulting Engineering Council of Louisiana (CEC), he was past president of the Lafayette chapter. For the 1977-78 term he was the recipient of the A. E. Wilder Award, presented for his outstanding service. In the American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC), he was named as a Fellow in 1980 and a Life Fellow in 1996, both for his notable contributions to the field of Consulting Engineering. In the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE), he was a Life Member and past president of the Baton Rouge branch. In 2011, he was presented with the Wall of Fame award by both the Acadiana Branch of the ASCE as well as the Louisiana Section of the ASCE; these are the highest levels of professional acknowledgement given by the organization. He was a past president of the Lafayette chapter of the Louisiana Engineering Society, and past president of the Louisiana Intracoastal Seaway Association. In addition to the above, he was an active member of a number of other technical and professional organizations: American Society of Professional Engineers; Professional Engineers in Private Practice; American Concrete Institute; American Congress on Surveying and Mapping; American Public Works Association; American Railroad Engineering Association; and the Society of American Military Engineers and the American Arbitration Association. While still active in his engineering practice, he was very honored to be asked to serve as a Trustee for the Eads Trust, which was a national organization devoted to managing retirement investments of independent engineers. He was the first person to be asked to serve two consecutive terms as a Trustee. Having been involved in many of the early, fundamental infrastructure projects for the city and the parish gave Emery a sense of pride in the growth of Lafayette from a small town to a booming metropolitan community. He helped design drainage systems, roads and bridges in and all around Lafayette and played a significant role in the city's development. In the early days of his practice, when his children were still small, Sunday afternoon family outings meant riding through town inspecting a concrete coulee or a road that was being paved. He was fiercely proud of Lafayette and was very committed to civic institutions, and to improving the quality of life for Lafayette residents. Long before Cajun culture became a nationwide fad, out-of-town trips for engineering conventions or other professional activities found Emery and Bea bragging about Lafayette's merits and accomplishments. He was recognized for distinguished service by the Parish of Lafayette for his work as a member of the Parish Planning Commission; and by the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce for his work as a member of the Board of Directors. Always interested in promoting Lafayette, Emery and Bea were part of the city's first sister-city visit, to Poitiers, France, and later to Longueuil, Qu'bec, Canada, where his ability to speak French and his interest in French served him and the Lafayette interests well. He was awarded a key to the city for his numerous contributions. A member of the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette since 1968 and a Life Member since 1993, Emery was active in their High School Football Jamboree for many years, was club President in 1970-71, and was named the club's Kiwanian of the Year in 1997. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time - a goal to which Emery was very committed. In addition to his numerous professional and civic accomplishments, Emery is remembered by many for the numerous years of involvement with the Krewe of Gabriel. In 1971, he served as a Duke in the court of King Gabriel XXXII, his friend (and distant cousin) D. Roy Domingue. For many years he and his wife Bea competed in the annual Krewe of Gabriel costume contests, sometimes competing in the couple's category and other times with close friends in the group category. The group always enjoyed their parties to plan the costumes and accompanying skits, and would talk about them for years afterwards. More often than not, Emery and Bea won an award when they competed, including winning a special Commodore award and several first place awards. The family wishes to express their gratitude to many people for their kindness and support during recent years, especially Emery's caregivers; and to the staffs of Wellness Center of Acadiana, Bravo Physical Therapy, and Hospice of Acadiana. The family requests that visitation be observed on Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Delhomme Funeral Home. A rosary will be recited Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. Visitation will continue on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the services, with another rosary led by the Bendel Gardens Rosary Group Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Pallbearers will be Mr. Domingue's 4 nephews and 3 great-nephews; the gift bearers will be his sister, sisters-in-law, and niece. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that anyone who wishes to acknowledge Mr. Domingue may make a memorial donation in his name to the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette Foundation, PO Box 52802, Lafayette LA, 70505-2802; or to Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston Street, Suite 200, Lafayette, LA 70503. Personal condolences may be sent to the Domingue family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA, is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Emery Domingue

January 9, 1926 - February 26, 2012