Emeril John Lagasse, Jr

Emeril John Lagasse, Jr.- beloved husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend - departed this life on March 21, 2024, in New Orleans surrounded by family.  Mr. John was born February 15, 1929, in Fall River, MA. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Hilda Medeiros Lagasse and daughter, Delores Lagasse Cotter. He is survived by son Emeril John Lagasse III (Alden Lovelace Lagasse); and son Mark Joseph Lagasse (Wendi Medeiros Lagasse), six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

His grandchildren are Jason Robert Cotter (Jillian Medeiros Lagasse) of New Bedford, MA; Jessica Lagasse Swanson (Steven Swanson) of Miramar Beach, FL; Jillian Lagasse Yeum (Andrew Yeum) of Miramar Beach, FL; Emeril John Lagasse IV and Meril Lovelace Lagasse of New Orleans and Santa Rosa Beach, FL; and Katti-Lynn Lagasse of New Orleans. His five great-grandchildren are Steven Jude Swanson, Jr. and John Peter Swanson of Miramar Beach, FL; Eleanor Grace Yeum of Miramar Beach, FL; Dolores Helen Cotter and Leo Joseph Cotter of New Bedford, MA.

Known to everyone as Mr. John, he served in World War II before he began his 40-year career in the textile industry working for the Duro Corporation. He married Hilda Medeiros on February 11, 1949, at Santo Christo Church in Fall River, Massachusetts, where Hilda and John resided and reared three children. They resided in Fall River until they moved to New Orleans in 1992.  His son, well known Chef Emeril Lagasse, opened his flagship restaurant in 1990 where Mr. John worked for 32 years.

Mr. John was a loving and supportive father to all his children and became a beloved member of the famed restaurant group, The Emeril Group, and was a beloved figurehead at Emeril’s Homebase where he will be dearly missed.  

His service will be private. In lieu of flowers, the Lagasse family asks that donations be made to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation at http://emeril.org/ St. Michael's Special School will be the beneficiary of any funds donated in memory of Mr John.