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Just a few picturesoriginal announcement page Remembering Louis
09-16-04 |
In August 1994 I decided to try again for dance lessons. I had taken some at a studio downtown in 1979 and gotten burned on the money and never felt that I learned much. Louis Le Mere (LEW-iss) told me that he didn't have contracts at Arthur Murray, he had agreements. They looked a lot like contracts but you weren't going to get "lawyered." After some time I broke off regular private lessons there but never broke off contact. Even if an agreement wasn't a contract I always felt just a tiny tad guilty. I would still show up to visit. Louis was always gracious and interested. I started kcdance.com and Louis was interested in that. As with everyone else, I made sure I had a page for Arthur Murray's on my site. Then August I learned that Louis was in the hospital. I forgot the reason that I had driven over to the studio just west of I-35 and north of 87th Street but lessons were in progress. Before long I was told that Louis was in the hospital. At Dance in the Park (11 Sep 2004) I asked how Louis was. No one knew for sure yet. He was still hospitilized. This saturday I stopped by to drop off some pictures of Olé but there was a sign on the door saying they were closed Friday and Saturday. Sunday I picked up Mary Ann's email, sent the previous evening. Louis had died. An area for comments is at the bottom of this page. Studio RemembranceSunday, October 3, 2004 Louis was remembered at the studio. I got there just a little after 1pm thinking the visitors would be starting shortly. They were already there. The parking lot in front of Arthur Murray's was full and overflowing well into the lot across the street. Click here for a few pictures
There were visitors from hundreds of miles away and visitors from years away. The First AnnouncementsBelow are the earlier announcements and and area for comments: Announcement for the studio remembrance: From Mary Ann Hope's email dated Saturday 18 Sept 2004: We have all been hoping for a miracle for Louis, but it was not to be. Louis passed away Thursday afternoon, 09-16-04. Six weeks ago, doctors determined that he had a congenital atrial septal defect, a hole in his heart, which kept his blood from oxygenating effectively. They were not able to correct the problem Louis was only forty-four years old. He began dancing at Arthur Murray in South Bend, IN when he was eighteen. He was at studios in South Bend, Omaha and Wichita before coming to Kansas City in 1988.
The Arthur Murray Studio at 8626 Quivira in Lenexa, KS will continue to operate under the management of Darren Carpenter. There will be a memorial service in Kansas City some time in the near future. Immediate arrangements are in Indiana. The visitation is Tuesday, 09-21-04 from 2:00-4:00 PM and from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Thallemer-Goethals Funeral Home, 503 W. 3rd Street, Mishawaka, IN 46544. The funeral is Wednesday, 09-22-04 at 11:00 AM. The telephone number for the funeral home is 574-255-1519.
Donations in Louis' name can be made to the Crypic Masons Medical Research Foundation, P.O. Box 1489, Nashville, IN 47448.
Links: Links to Arthur Murray on KC DanceArthur Murray Kansas City Home PageArthur Murray Dance Studio
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