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Sgt. Joseph Lemm Remembered At St. Patrick's Funeral, Buried In Westchester

MANHATTAN, N.Y. -- Thousands of fellow police, U.S. servicemen, top public officials and friends attended Wednesday's funeral services for Tech. Sgt. Joseph Lemm, 45, of West Harrison at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

New York Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Joseph G. Lemm, killed Dec. 21 by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, was buried in Hawthorne on Wednesday.

New York Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Joseph G. Lemm, killed Dec. 21 by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, was buried in Hawthorne on Wednesday.

Photo Credit: Jon Craig
Flowers left at the graveside of Tech. Sgt. Joseph Lemm of West Harrison who was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne on Wednesday.

Flowers left at the graveside of Tech. Sgt. Joseph Lemm of West Harrison who was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne on Wednesday.

Photo Credit: Jon Craig
Tech. Sg.t Joseph G. Lemm of West Harrison, one of six U.S. military servicemen killed Dec. 21 by a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan. Lemm was remembered on Wednesday during funeral services led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Tech. Sg.t Joseph G. Lemm of West Harrison, one of six U.S. military servicemen killed Dec. 21 by a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan. Lemm was remembered on Wednesday during funeral services led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Photo Credit: Division of Military & Naval Affairs
A flower arrangement from the New York Police Department PBA, where Detective Joseph Lemm served for 16 years in the Bronx. The West Harrison veteran was buried on Wednesday.

A flower arrangement from the New York Police Department PBA, where Detective Joseph Lemm served for 16 years in the Bronx. The West Harrison veteran was buried on Wednesday.

Photo Credit: Jon Craig
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, left, with Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont outside St. Patrick's Cathedral on Wednesday.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, left, with Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont outside St. Patrick's Cathedral on Wednesday.

Photo Credit: Twitter

New York City Police Department officers in dress blues lined the steps of the historic cathedral alongside military personnel as bagpipes blared.

Fifth Avenue was barricaded so a motorcade carrying Lemm's American flag-draped coffin could pass freely en route to Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne.

The 6-foot-4-inch native of Nebraska and NYPD detective was killed Dec. 21 with another member of his New York Air National Guard unit and four U.S. Air Force members by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan.

"Joe was extraordinary in every way (and) given every gift but length of years," said the Rev. Christopher Monturo, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in West Harrison, during the Mass of Christian Burial led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York.. 

"Now all know of Joe's spirit, which cannot be contained to one place; we will never forget him," Monturo said.

A wake was held Tuesday for Lemm -- nicknamed Superman by his fellow officers -- at St. Anthony's Church..

Hundreds of Lemm's friends, family and fellow officers filed into St. Anthony's, led by Lemm's widow, Christine, his 17-year-old daughter, Brooke, and his 4-year-old son.

Lemm also received a hero's welcome at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Orange County on Monday after his body was flown by C-17 aircraft back to New York from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Lemm was a member of the Air National Guard's 105th Base Security Squadron and a 16-year veteran of the NYPD. 

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