[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish officials declare Wednesday, Oct. 21 as "Rocky Tommaseo Day"

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish officials declare Wednesday, Oct. 21 as "Rocky Tommaseo
Day"

Flags are to be flown at half mast in honor of a beloved true St. Bernard
Icon 

 

St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro issued an executive order with
the concurrence of the Parish Council at the council meeting that Wednesday,
Oct. 21, 2009 should be recognized as "Rocky Tommaseo Day" in honor of the
owner and co-founder of the famous Chalmette eatery, Rocky and Carlo's
Restaurant.

 

President Taffaro said flags throughout St. Bernard should be flown at half
mast in recognition of the passing of Mr. Tommaseo, who died early Tuesday
morning after suffering a fall several weeks ago, according to media
reports.

 

Mr. Tommaseo started the restaurant with his brother and three friends in
1965, just months before Hurricane Betsy struck. The restaurant's owners
continued to serve food after the storm, a gesture that was never forgotten.
The popular restaurant opened 18 months after Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Tommaseo emigrated from Alcamo, Sicily in the early 1950s. 

His son, Tommy Tommaseo, took over as the restaurant's general manager about
15 years ago, but the elder Mr. Tommaseo continued to report to work every
day until his fall, according to media reports. 

Funeral services will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Bernard Memorial
Gardens. The restaurant, which was adorned with black wreaths Tuesday, will
remain closed until Friday. 

 

<https://mail.sbpg.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://mail.sbpg.net/excha
nge> 

 ###