Louis 'Lou' Imbery

WATERSEMEET, Mich. - Louis "Lou" Imbery of Watersmeet passed away peacefully on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. He was 85 years old.

Lou was born to Frances and Peter Imbery on Oct. 5, 1937, in Hosmer, South Dakota, the youngest of three brothers. He grew up in Hosmer, where he graduated high school in 1956 as class and student council president. After high school, Lou worked in the railroad industry as a remote station manager. He then attended the National School of Aeronautics in Kansas City in 1958 for airline management and went to work for Northwest Airlines at the Milwaukee airport. After a few years, Lou transitioned to North Central Airlines, working at both the Minneapolis and Milwaukee airports as ticket counter manager. After work one Friday night at a bar with friends, he met a very beautiful lady named Lorene "Lori" Basso. Lori soon became Lou's life-long love.

Lou and Lori were married on Jan. 16, 1960, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watersmeet. They made their first home in Milwaukee, where their children Lynn and Scott were born. The family followed Lou's career moves to Minneapolis, St. Paul and back to Milwaukee. During that time period, when Lori was working, Lou and his kids spent a lot of time at the airport watching the planes take off and land. In 1970, the family relocated to Hazel Crest, Illinois, in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, where Lou changed careers and went to work for the Illinois Central Railroad as a programmer. For several years, he attended night classes at DePaul University in Chicago and later became data processing manager for the railroad. Lou and Lori moved to Crete, Illinois, in 1982, where they enjoyed a neighborhood of fun friends.

In the spring of 2001, after Lou retired, he and Lori made their home on Beatons Lake in Watersmeet. They both appreciated coming back to small-town living and Lou fell in love with the quiet, privacy and solitude of the Northwoods. Lou and Lori loved to dance. They spent nearly every Saturday night at the casino in Watersmeet enjoying the live music and dancing. Watching them glide effortlessly across the floor was truly a thing of beauty. Besides treasured time with family and friends, Lou loved riding his Harley, a cold beer, his faith and the music of Johnny Cash.

Lou was preceded in death by his wife Lori on Sept. 17, 2020. Lou is survived by his beloved daughter, Lynn Davies of Paulding; son, Scott (Lorna) Imbery of Copper Canyon, Texas; grandchildren, Neil (Karen) Imbery, Alex Imbery and Olivia (Justin) Williams; and great-granddaughters, Noelle and Harper Williams, all in Texas; sister-in-law, Joan Moll in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin; sister-in-law, Lorna Imbery; as well as special cousins, nieces, nephews and treasured friends.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Oct. 11, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watersmeet.