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Josef ‘Joe’ Alfred Lemmen
Josef “Joe” Alfred Lemmen of Speonk died peacefully on July 13. He was 96.
Born in Speonk, he was the eldest of four children.
A lifelong musician, he studied voice and sang in choirs from childhood through his years at Cornell University, later performing widely, including at Lincoln Center under Daniel Barenboim and alongside soprano Eleanor Steber.
With the American Savoyards of New York City, he appeared in lead roles in numerous Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
During his U.S. Army service, he was featured on ABC’s “Soldier Parade.”
He went on to become a central figure in Long Island’s choral music, directing the Choral Society of the Moriches for more than three decades, to include annual presentations of Handel’s “Messiah,” as well as other performances of classical oratorios, operettas and choral productions.
His musical leadership and his voice resonated in churches, on stages and in the hearts of many across the eastern United States.
He operated Lemmen’s Nursery and Landscape and Seaside Irrigation of East Moriches, as well as Balsam Cove Campground in East Orland, Maine. He served as landscape contractor for Rock Hill Golf Club on Long Island.
He was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Janet, in 2024. He is survived by his children, Gregory, Jane, Greta, and Robert; grandchildren Emily, Aimee, Jenna, Mitchell, Daniel, Michael, Katie, and Kira; great-grandchildren Anna, Quinn, Madeline, Graham, Eli, Miller, Ella Mae, and Ava; siblings Erick and Liz; and many friends.
A memorial service will be held at East Moriches United Methodist Church on September 12, at 11 a.m., followed by the joint burial of he and his wife’s ashes at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in East Moriches.
Memorial donations may be made to the East Moriches United Methodist Church Memorial Fund (eastmorichesumc.com).
Staff Writer on Sep 2, 2025