[StBernard] Co-founder of Rocky and Carlo's dies after fall

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Tue Oct 20 18:26:01 EDT 2009


Co-founder of Rocky and Carlo's dies after fall
By Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune
October 20, 2009, 12:36PM

Rocky Tommaseo, a community pillar in St. Bernard Parish and longtime owner
and co-founder of Rocky and Carlo's Restaurant in Chalmette, died early
Tuesday morning after suffering a fall several weeks ago. He was 94.

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, endearing them to the community.
Hurricane Katrina proved a much more daunting challenge, but the popular
restaurant opened 18 months after the storm to long lines of eager patrons.

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

His son, Tommy Tommaseo, took over as general manager of the restaurant
about 15 years ago, but the elder Mr. Tommaseo continued to report to work
at the eatery every day until his fall.

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




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