Louis Edward DeMoll Jr.

Louis was born and raised in Alexandria, VA. He was the most wonderful person one could ever know. His mother died upon the birth of his brother in 1927 when Louis was eight, and he began his work career shortly afterward in his Grandfather DeMoll’s clock and watch repair shop. Louis didn’t stop working until his retirement in 1987, becoming Professor Emeritus of Social Work concurrent with the establishment of the Louis DeMoll Scholarship. He worked as a paperboy then a soda jerk during his school years. Those jobs paid for his school lunches and later, dance lessons, too. Upon graduation from high school he went to work for Virginia Electric Power Co. After five years with VEPCO he had saved enough to enter Duke University Divinity School, which at that time was tuition free. After one semester at Duke, he was selected in the draft. In this regard he considered himself lucky for a variety of reasons. He was drafted in North Carolina and not in Virginia. His work experience at VEPCO placed him into the 442 Engineering Company. During the wait for the invasion of Europe he took advantage of the various “Meet the British” opportunities. His company landed at Omaha Beach a week after the initial landings, and he eventually ran a supply depot near Paris and supervised German prisoners in building bridges, whereas his friends back in Alexandria, VA, became part of the 29th Infantry Division, and many were killed when they assaulted Omaha Beach on D-Day. After VE Day, Louis was deployed to the Pacific Theater to be part of the invasion of Japan, however the war ended just after his arrival in Okinawa. He was part of the Army of Occupation of Japan, but was discharged in time to return to Duke University in Spring, 1946. The GI Bill allowed Louis to consider an academic major outside of the Divinity School, and he began what was to be his lifetime focus, social work. At that time he was the oldest Freshman at Duke. It was at Duke where he met the love of his life, Jean Gibbons, who was working on a Masters Degree in Zoology. After completion of their degrees Jean worked in cancer research in Dallas and Louis started graduate studies at Tulane University, the location of the closest School of Social Work to Dallas. Louis and Jean were married on the coldest day on record in Dallas a couple of weeks after Louis completed his Masters degree. Louis’s career took them to a number of places including Connecticut and New York City when he was in graduate school at Columbia University. Louis and his family ended up in Austin where he lived for over 57 years. In 1968, frustrated with the politics involved, Louis left his job as Deputy Commissioner for Mental Health and Mental Retardation in Texas to accept a position as Associate Professor in the Faculty of the School of Social Work at the University of Texas. During his tenure there he interacted with countless students, many of whom became lifelong friends. Summertime would often find Louis working for the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health.

Louis was named a Social Work Pioneer by the National Association of Social Workers for planning and directing the development of community mental health services throughout Texas. He was appointed to numerous national committees, but was also on the board of many state and local ones, too, such as the Presbyterian Children’s Home and the Austin Child Guidance Center. As campaign treasurer for a number of former students who went into politics, Louis had an unblemished record. Of those his proudest association was with Elliott Naishtat, who has been elected as state representative since 1990.

Louis was preceded in death by his wife Jean, with whom he experienced the adventure of living with someone with Alzheimer’s. He outlived both of his younger siblings, his brother Merl and his sister Marvis. He was also preceded in death by his son-in-law Bill James. He is survived by his son Edward, wife Carol Pickett, and grandsons Christopher and Alexander of Lexington, KY, by his daughter Christine of Yachats, OR, and his niece Rebecca Gregory of Georgetown, TX, and her husband Don Gregory and sons Sean and Kevin Gregory.

Louis had a love and a caring for others, which guided his life and was a gift to all those who were fortunate enough to be blessed by his goodness. The number of students, community leaders, and fellow bus riders on the road of life who have been touched and inspired by his acts and his life are legion. These words and accolades, which Louis would readily deny, were well documented by the life he lived, and that is the legacy he left all of us.

A memorial service will be held at 1 pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, September 9th. In lieu of flowers it is suggested that contributions be made to the Louis DeMoll Scholarship in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas or to Westminster Presbyterian Church of Austin.