Salvatore Lochrico Jr.

Salvatore “Sammy” Lochrico Jr., 68, a native of Boston, Mass., and resident of Larose, La., died at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, 2011.

Mr. Lochrico was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. He was a U.S. Army Veteran, an avid boat captain, a diehard Alabama fan and he loved to shrimp.

He is survived by his son, Salvatore Lochrico III; daughters, Catina Lochrico and Michelle Mobley; brothers, Larry, Joey and Victor Lochrico; sisters, Marsha Ewing and Doreen Hamby; and four grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Salvatore Sr. and Theresa Ann Powers Lochrico; brother, Robert Lochrico; and sister, Sandra Lochrico.

He is buried at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Cemetery. (Samart-Mothe)

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Japan most of his military career. During his time in the service, he was a paratrooper. After his honorable discharge, he began working in the oil field as a roughneck in the late 1940s. Bill retired as eastern division sales manager for Davis Lynch, Inc. after 40 plus years of service with them. He was an active member of numerous oil field organizations, LAGCOE, the Houma Lions Club, the Lafayette Petroleum Club, Boy Scouts of America, the National Rifle Association, and supported several veteran organizations. In his spare time, he was an avid sportsman and enjoyed raising vegetables in his garden. He will be dearly missed by his family and all of his friends.

Personal condolences may be sent to the Lee family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com.

Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Russell enlisted in the U.S. Navy Sept. 1, 1943 at the age of 17. A coxswain V6, he attended landing craft school at Camp Peddleton in Oceanside, Calif. where he trained to operate and drive World War II’s famous “Higgins Boats”, LCVP, Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel used in amphibious assaults. Assigned to the landing craft unit No. 30, then transferred to Treasure Island, Calif. for more training in gunnery and aircraft identification. On April 1, 1944 boarded the transport ship the USS Marmacdove, headed for the Pacific Theater of War where he bravely drove and beached Higgins boats transporting troops and equipment in the invasion of the Mariana Islands of Guam, Saipan and Tinian. Awarded the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon (1 Star), American Area Ribbon and Victory Ribbon. Honorably discharged on April 8, 1946, serving his country for two years, seven months and seven days.

After World War II, Russell earned his GED in 1949 from the Orleans Parish School Board and in 1950 graduated from the Delgado Mechanical College in New Orleans as an electrician. After working for Westside Electric Co., he was then employed with Chevron serving as electrical foreman at Leeville in the southeastern division. He also worked as an electrical superintendent for Rouse’s Supermarkets for 25 years in Thibodaux and Houma, overseeing the electrical installations of Rouse’s grocery stores.

In April of 2008, Russell had the pleasure to travel to Washington, D.C. with the Louisiana Honor Air Program to visit the World War II Memorial, a visit that he enjoyed very much.

Russell was a member of the Mardi Gras Krewe of Chronus in Thibodaux and a lifelong member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post No. 5097. He served at the President of the Family Motor Coach Association, “The Cruisin Cajuns” in 1994, an honor that he was very proud of. Traveling in his motor home was a hobby that he enjoyed in his years of retirement.

The family offers special thanks to his caregivers Carol, Leola, Jokora, Mary, Annette, Betty, Ethel, Michelle, Sharon and Fran as well as Heart of Hospice, Rev. Gil of St. Edmonds Catholic Church, Monsignor Robert Angelle, Drs. David Baker, Kevin Hargrave, Frank Bacque, Norman Anseman, Kyle Lavergne and James Arterburn and the staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Rehabiliation Center.

Pallbearers will be Barry Perque, Steven Perque, Douglas Duet, Lenny Lemoine, Ryan Lemoine and Taffery Percle. Honorary pallbearers will be David Duet and Kerry Cedotal.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to: The Russell Joseph Duet Veterans of War Memorial Fund, The Community Foundation of Acadiana at 1035 Camellia Blvd. #100, Lafayette, LA 7008-6679 or www.cfacadiana.com.

Landry’s Funeral Home of Thibodaux is in charge of arrangements.