A Mass for Christian Burial for 65-year old MICHAEL LAWRENCE DEMOULIN, of Pensacola, Florida, formerly of Mulberry Grove, Illinois, will be held at 9:00am on Monday, July 13 at his home parish, Saint Lawrence Catholic Church, 512 South Prairie, Greenville, preceded by Visitation at 8:30am in the church’s meeting space. Military burial rites will follow at the DeMoulin family plot in the Mulberry Grove Cemetery. A light lunch will be provided afterwards at the Saint Lawrence Parish Hall. The family, especially Michael’s daughter Sonya, welcomes the opportunity to discuss your memories of his life. PLEASE WEAR RED, WHITE, AND BLUE, OR SOMETHING PATRIOTIC. In lieu of sending flowers for his funeral services, the family asks that all who loved Michael to please consider celebrating his memory with a special intention Mass, a donation to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), or an act of Catholic charity within your community.
Demoulin passed away peacefully on 21 March 2026, following complications from a surgical procedure.
Michael was the third child among four siblings as well as the eldest son of Martin and Lorraine (Tomczak) DeMoulin. He was born on 5 August 1960 in Vandalia, Illinois, and was raised nearby in Mulberry Grove, where he graduated from Bond County Community Unit #1 High School in 1978. He pursued higher education at Greenville College (now University), graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Accounting in 1982. He was a member of Saint Lawrence Catholic Church in Greenville and received its sacraments. During that time, he was a member of the Sunday and Holiday Choirs at church where he played the piano, and was a member of concert, pep, jazz, and marching bands throughout his high school and college career. Growing up with music was a huge part of his life. He was also a member of the high school baseball team and took an interest in golf and bowling while in college. Prior to his military service, Michael travelled to the United Kingdom, France, and around the United States while in college to see historical sights and visit family members along the way. At the time of his death, he was residing at The Waterford at Carpenter’s Creek in Pensacola, Florida, where he led an active social life and lived a strong Catholic life. During his stay for nearly two years, he demonstrated his remarkable talent for trivia and never missed Holy Communion, ensuring God remained as an anchor in his life. Michael always spoke with great pride about his daughter Sonya, jokingly saying that she received her beauty and brains from her mother and her goofiness from him. No one who knew him was unaware of his “baby girl.”
Michael’s work career began with supporting the family business, DeMoulin Electric and TV in Mulberry Grove, Illinois. Following college, Michael joined the United States Air Force, as an enlisted supply office. While in the military, Michael married in 1989, having his daughter Sonya in 1993. As he grew in rank and responsibility, Michael served for nearly 25 years as a Supply Sergeant, serving at Minot Air Force Base (AFB), North Dakota; Osan Air Base (AB), South Korea; Dover AFB, Delaware; Gimhae AFB, South Korea; Yokota AFB, Japan; and Keesler AFB, Mississippi. He served temporary duty in Kuwait after the First Gulf War. He was decorated and promoted for his service in support of the Cold War, the Gulf War (Desert Storm), and the Global War on Terrorism. His most noteworthy missions supported were preparing for mortuary affairs in advance of the First Gulf War at Dover and providing direct supply and logistical support to the New Orleans region after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 from Keesler, where he was the acting senior enlisted officer there. Following his military service, Michael moved to Florida, where he was employed as a librarian at the Robert L.F. Sikes Public Library in Crestview, Florida—a fitting role given his passion for reading. He was well-remembered for making everyone laugh with his unique Midwestern sense of humor and always offering a helping hand to those who needed it. His dedication and strong work ethic over nearly six years were not forgotten. In 2015, he had no choice but to retire after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Throughout his life, Michael had many hobbies and interests, including participating in musical performances, keeping up with college and professional sports, umpiring baseball and refereeing basketball games at local events, solving crossword puzzles like his father, Martin, winning at bingo and trivia games, sightseeing and travelling to see family, learning about other cultures, reading annual almanacs and the Guiness Book of World Records, sharing daily news of the world over the phone with his brother, Stanley, spending quality time with his daughter, Sonya, visiting museums, aquariums, and zoos as well as being the best cheerleader and supporter for his daughter Sonya’s high school color guard and winter guard performances.
Michael is survived by his loving daughter Sonya Marie DeMoulin and her fiancé “DK” DongSeok Kang of Daegu, South Korea; sister Gabrielle DeMoulin (Michael Sellers) of Ridgely, Tennessee; and brother Stanley DeMoulin of Baltimore, Maryland; nephew James-Michael Sellers (Katie Foote and their son Asher and daughter Lydia) of Omaha, Nebraska and Lubbock, Texas; nephew Joseph-Martin Sellers (Maria Fernanda Tellez Sanchez, and their daughters Jeanette, Isabella, and Olivia) of Tijuana, Mexico. He was preceded in death by his eldest sister Michele Fulk, both parents, and all grandparents.
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