Sgt. Lucien D. "John" Langlais Jr.

August 24,1948 - July 6, 2019

Ludlow – Lucien D. "John" Langlais Jr., 70, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning surrounded by his loving family at Mercy Medical Center. John was born in Springfield, grew up in Holyoke, where he boxed at the Boys Club, and lived in South Hadley for many years before retiring to Ludlow 10 years ago. He worked as a Tool & Die Maker for Hamilton Standard and after retirement worked for the Homeland Security Department at Bradley International Airport.  He enlisted after graduation from Holyoke Trade School and served in the United States Army during Vietnam, later transferring to the U.S. Army Reserves Military Police serving in Germany and the U.S. During his service John was awarded the Marksman M-16, the Expert M-14, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal. He was also awarded two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star for Valor for repeatedly driving along an ambush site into the kill zone under heavy small arms, automatic weapons and rocket fire, exiting his gun truck, retrieving members of his unit and transporting them to a secure location. John was listed as M.I.A. for several months and was located in a neutral zone at a French Missionary Hospital recovering from serious wounds suffered as a result of his heroic actions.  He was a devout family man, an avid hunter and sports fan, an accomplished finish carpenter, a member of the Fairview Gun Club and a member of the Holyoke Masonic Temple. He will be dearly missed by his wife of 49 years Jule (Powers) Langlais; three sons Jonathan, Nicholas, and Cory and his fiancee Jillian Rivest; three sisters Suzanne (Langlais) Collins and her former husband Robert (Bobby) Collins, Tanya Champagne and Janet (Jayne) Champagne-Forbes and her husband Frank Forbes III; two sister-in-laws Gretchen Powers and Mary Powers; and two brother-in-laws Howard Ceccarini and Stephen E. Rogg. He also leaves five grandchildren Jenna, Kyra, Isaac, Riley and Emry; two great-grandchildren Gavin and Mia; and several nieces and nephews.  John was predeceased by his son Jean, his mother Patricia A. (Brooks) Champagne, his step-father Earl A. Champagne, his father Lucien D. Langlais Sr, his sister-in-law Kathy (Powers) Ceccarini and his nephew Michael R. Collins.  The committal service will be held Friday at 10:00am in chapel of the Massachusetts Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Agawam.  The Curran-O'Brien Funeral Home is handling all arrangements. For more details please visit curranobrien.com . Memorial contributions may be made to the Holyoke Soldiers Home, 110 Cherry St., Holyoke, MA 01040.