"David has returned to us, he is at home, he is at rest."
With these words, Rabbi H. David Werb of Temple Beth Emunah consoled the family of young David Louison at funeral services yesterday.
The skeletal remains of the boy, who was five years old when he disappeared from the family's West Elm Street home nearly six years ago, were found last week in a footlocker in the basement of an apartment building, less than a mile from the child's home.
Positive identification was made Sunday and the remains were sent to the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington for tests to determine cause of death. A report of those tests is still awaited by authorities here.
More than 500 friends, officials and members of the Brockton Bar Assn. crowded the temple during the services.
Among those present were some 100 police officers from a dozen communities south of Boston.
Honorary pallbearers were US Marshal David Libby, and police officers Anthony DiRenzo of Rockland, James Metevier of Abington, Gary Young of Hanover, John Carr and Gail Bowers, both of Brockton.
The large police delegation was headed by Brockton Chief James Cody. Among the mourners were Brockton Mayor David E. Crosby, Plymouth County Dist. Atty. William C. O'Malley and former Dist. Atty. Stanley Littlefield, who was in office at the time of David's disappearance in 1974; Superior Court Judges Henry Chmielinski and Robert Prince and clergy of various faiths.
Rabbi Werb said "Each of us - all of us gathered here - in some special way share the pain and pathos of this moment. When he (David) first disappeared, so many of you gave of yourselves to help find him. You offered your assistance then and now. The Louison family is grateful.
"This help counterbalances, assuages the heinous act of one demented individual," the rabbi said.
He termed David a "most intelligent boy with tremendous creative capacity and potential . . . he loved life . . . he had a great sense of humor, a wonderful smile, an infectious laugh.
"He loved his family and they in turn loved him very dearly, that's what makes this ordeal so poignant, so difficult, especially today."
The rabbi said the family has established the David Louison Foundation "to lend a helping hand to those in need, to allow other David Louisons in this community to achieve the full potential he was denied." He referred to the foundation as a "living memorial" to aid others.
"For five and three quarter years we have been living with illusions of David . . . he was no more, God took him, he seemed to have disappeared into thin air without a trace.
"But now, David has returned to us. He is at home. He is at rest."
An escort of 17 police cruisers, their blue dome lights flashing, led the cortege the two and a half miles from the temple to Plymouth Rock Cemetery, where private interment services were conducted.
Sgt. Richard Sproules, explained why so many Brockton police attended the funeral: "Because they care, about the family, about Mel. Mel's always been good to the police. Mel taught a course in criminal law for years over at Massasoit College to the police."
Meanwhile, investigators continue to follow leads and check on the whereabouts of suspects in the case.
Boston Globe Newspaper Feb 22, 1980
With these words, Rabbi H. David Werb of Temple Beth Emunah consoled the family of young David Louison at funeral services yesterday.
The skeletal remains of the boy, who was five years old when he disappeared from the family's West Elm Street home nearly six years ago, were found last week in a footlocker in the basement of an apartment building, less than a mile from the child's home.
Positive identification was made Sunday and the remains were sent to the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington for tests to determine cause of death. A report of those tests is still awaited by authorities here.
More than 500 friends, officials and members of the Brockton Bar Assn. crowded the temple during the services.
Among those present were some 100 police officers from a dozen communities south of Boston.
Honorary pallbearers were US Marshal David Libby, and police officers Anthony DiRenzo of Rockland, James Metevier of Abington, Gary Young of Hanover, John Carr and Gail Bowers, both of Brockton.
The large police delegation was headed by Brockton Chief James Cody. Among the mourners were Brockton Mayor David E. Crosby, Plymouth County Dist. Atty. William C. O'Malley and former Dist. Atty. Stanley Littlefield, who was in office at the time of David's disappearance in 1974; Superior Court Judges Henry Chmielinski and Robert Prince and clergy of various faiths.
Rabbi Werb said "Each of us - all of us gathered here - in some special way share the pain and pathos of this moment. When he (David) first disappeared, so many of you gave of yourselves to help find him. You offered your assistance then and now. The Louison family is grateful.
"This help counterbalances, assuages the heinous act of one demented individual," the rabbi said.
He termed David a "most intelligent boy with tremendous creative capacity and potential . . . he loved life . . . he had a great sense of humor, a wonderful smile, an infectious laugh.
"He loved his family and they in turn loved him very dearly, that's what makes this ordeal so poignant, so difficult, especially today."
The rabbi said the family has established the David Louison Foundation "to lend a helping hand to those in need, to allow other David Louisons in this community to achieve the full potential he was denied." He referred to the foundation as a "living memorial" to aid others.
"For five and three quarter years we have been living with illusions of David . . . he was no more, God took him, he seemed to have disappeared into thin air without a trace.
"But now, David has returned to us. He is at home. He is at rest."
An escort of 17 police cruisers, their blue dome lights flashing, led the cortege the two and a half miles from the temple to Plymouth Rock Cemetery, where private interment services were conducted.
Sgt. Richard Sproules, explained why so many Brockton police attended the funeral: "Because they care, about the family, about Mel. Mel's always been good to the police. Mel taught a course in criminal law for years over at Massasoit College to the police."
Meanwhile, investigators continue to follow leads and check on the whereabouts of suspects in the case.
Boston Globe Newspaper Feb 22, 1980
"David has returned to us, he is at home, he is at rest."
With these words, Rabbi H. David Werb of Temple Beth Emunah consoled the family of young David Louison at funeral services yesterday.
The skeletal remains of the boy, who was five years old when he disappeared from the family's West Elm Street home nearly six years ago, were found last week in a footlocker in the basement of an apartment building, less than a mile from the child's home.
Positive identification was made Sunday and the remains were sent to the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington for tests to determine cause of death. A report of those tests is still awaited by authorities here.
More than 500 friends, officials and members of the Brockton Bar Assn. crowded the temple during the services.
Among those present were some 100 police officers from a dozen communities south of Boston.
Honorary pallbearers were US Marshal David Libby, and police officers Anthony DiRenzo of Rockland, James Metevier of Abington, Gary Young of Hanover, John Carr and Gail Bowers, both of Brockton.
The large police delegation was headed by Brockton Chief James Cody. Among the mourners were Brockton Mayor David E. Crosby, Plymouth County Dist. Atty. William C. O'Malley and former Dist. Atty. Stanley Littlefield, who was in office at the time of David's disappearance in 1974; Superior Court Judges Henry Chmielinski and Robert Prince and clergy of various faiths.
Rabbi Werb said "Each of us - all of us gathered here - in some special way share the pain and pathos of this moment. When he (David) first disappeared, so many of you gave of yourselves to help find him. You offered your assistance then and now. The Louison family is grateful.
"This help counterbalances, assuages the heinous act of one demented individual," the rabbi said.
He termed David a "most intelligent boy with tremendous creative capacity and potential . . . he loved life . . . he had a great sense of humor, a wonderful smile, an infectious laugh.
"He loved his family and they in turn loved him very dearly, that's what makes this ordeal so poignant, so difficult, especially today."
The rabbi said the family has established the David Louison Foundation "to lend a helping hand to those in need, to allow other David Louisons in this community to achieve the full potential he was denied." He referred to the foundation as a "living memorial" to aid others.
"For five and three quarter years we have been living with illusions of David . . . he was no more, God took him, he seemed to have disappeared into thin air without a trace.
"But now, David has returned to us. He is at home. He is at rest."
An escort of 17 police cruisers, their blue dome lights flashing, led the cortege the two and a half miles from the temple to Plymouth Rock Cemetery, where private interment services were conducted.
Sgt. Richard Sproules, explained why so many Brockton police attended the funeral: "Because they care, about the family, about Mel. Mel's always been good to the police. Mel taught a course in criminal law for years over at Massasoit College to the police."
Meanwhile, investigators continue to follow leads and check on the whereabouts of suspects in the case.
Boston Globe Newspaper Feb 22, 1980
With these words, Rabbi H. David Werb of Temple Beth Emunah consoled the family of young David Louison at funeral services yesterday.
The skeletal remains of the boy, who was five years old when he disappeared from the family's West Elm Street home nearly six years ago, were found last week in a footlocker in the basement of an apartment building, less than a mile from the child's home.
Positive identification was made Sunday and the remains were sent to the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington for tests to determine cause of death. A report of those tests is still awaited by authorities here.
More than 500 friends, officials and members of the Brockton Bar Assn. crowded the temple during the services.
Among those present were some 100 police officers from a dozen communities south of Boston.
Honorary pallbearers were US Marshal David Libby, and police officers Anthony DiRenzo of Rockland, James Metevier of Abington, Gary Young of Hanover, John Carr and Gail Bowers, both of Brockton.
The large police delegation was headed by Brockton Chief James Cody. Among the mourners were Brockton Mayor David E. Crosby, Plymouth County Dist. Atty. William C. O'Malley and former Dist. Atty. Stanley Littlefield, who was in office at the time of David's disappearance in 1974; Superior Court Judges Henry Chmielinski and Robert Prince and clergy of various faiths.
Rabbi Werb said "Each of us - all of us gathered here - in some special way share the pain and pathos of this moment. When he (David) first disappeared, so many of you gave of yourselves to help find him. You offered your assistance then and now. The Louison family is grateful.
"This help counterbalances, assuages the heinous act of one demented individual," the rabbi said.
He termed David a "most intelligent boy with tremendous creative capacity and potential . . . he loved life . . . he had a great sense of humor, a wonderful smile, an infectious laugh.
"He loved his family and they in turn loved him very dearly, that's what makes this ordeal so poignant, so difficult, especially today."
The rabbi said the family has established the David Louison Foundation "to lend a helping hand to those in need, to allow other David Louisons in this community to achieve the full potential he was denied." He referred to the foundation as a "living memorial" to aid others.
"For five and three quarter years we have been living with illusions of David . . . he was no more, God took him, he seemed to have disappeared into thin air without a trace.
"But now, David has returned to us. He is at home. He is at rest."
An escort of 17 police cruisers, their blue dome lights flashing, led the cortege the two and a half miles from the temple to Plymouth Rock Cemetery, where private interment services were conducted.
Sgt. Richard Sproules, explained why so many Brockton police attended the funeral: "Because they care, about the family, about Mel. Mel's always been good to the police. Mel taught a course in criminal law for years over at Massasoit College to the police."
Meanwhile, investigators continue to follow leads and check on the whereabouts of suspects in the case.
Boston Globe Newspaper Feb 22, 1980
