William LeJeune Obituary

William LeJeune, Jr. CHARLESTON - William "Bill" LeJeune, Jr., 83, husband of Marie Elizabeth (Denaux) LeJeune, died Friday, October 8, 2021 at The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. Bill was born in Long Beach, California to the late William and Beverly (Ellis) LeJeune. The family came to Charleston in support of the war effort during WWII. Bill was raised in Charleston, South Carolina and educated primarily in Charleston's Catholic schools. In his youth, Bill excelled as a tackle for the Bishop England football team, as an altar boy, in church choir with his powerful bass voice, and in running his paper route down Rivers Avenue, which he started at the age of 8. Bill attended Notre Dame University, but left during his Sophomore year to ask for the hand of his childhood sweetheart, Marie Denaux, and to join the United States Army, where he served as a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He and Marie returned to Charleston, where Bill began work as an Apprentice Electrician at the Charleston Naval Shipyard. He pulled several hard years on the night shift, working deep in submarine missile tubes on missile control systems and at the top of rocking ships' masts on radar systems, while by day caring for his family and going to school to complete his Bachelor's degree. After completing his degree, Bill served as an Electronics Instructor in the Apprentice School, then as Apprentice School Director, Charleston Naval Shipyard, and finally as Director, Shipyard Support Center - Atlantic, in Norfolk, VA. Bill was a lifelong Catholic, most recently as a member of Blessed Sacrament Church and choir in Charleston, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He devoted many days to taking Christian ministry to men in prison and taking meals to those who had no ability to travel or pay. Bill loved theater and performed and directed with The Flowertown Players. He also performed in a number of productions with The Dock Street Theater. Bill was an amazing husband, father, brother and son, who gave his family faithful, tireless love, ever-present encouragement, and an example of unwavering Christian faith all the years of his life. Surviving are his wife of 63 years, Marie; son, Bill LeJeune and his wife, Alicia; daughter, Julie Humowitz and her husband, Paul; sister, Ruth Quinn and her husband, Richard; two nieces; one nephew; five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his brother, Lloyd, and his parents. A lifelong diabetic, Bill remained ever grateful to the unknown donor who donated their kidney to Bill. This gift gave Bill and his family 15 more years of life together. Bill's family is forever grateful to the MUSC team that performed the transplant and to the team of MUSC ICU heroes that, 15 years later, tried to save him from COVID. Memorials may be made to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (843) 556-0801, or to support the MUSC transplant program, memorials may be made to the MUSC Foundation online at giving.MUSC.edu or by phone at (843) 792-2677. Visit our guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/charleston