Joseph Maricelli

Joseph Marion Maricelli, 84, of Merryville, LA, passed from this life on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

Joe Maricelli was born to Ray and Florence Maricelli in Merryville, LA. He graduated from Merryville High School in 1957. He was awarded a football scholarship to Northwestern State College (now NSU) in Natchitoches, LA. He enrolled at NSC where he played football in the positions of fullback and halfback and joined ROTC.  He was named All Gulf States Conference team while at NSC.  He married Rosalind Jeans in July 1959. They had their first child, Neal, in April 1960. Their second child, Yvonne, was born in April 1962. Joe graduated from NSC with a bachelor’s degree in 1962. Despite being recruited by the Canadian Football League, Joe joined the Army as an entry-level officer and was sent to Ft. Benning, Georgia for basic training.  While at Ft. Benning, Joe played for the Ft. Benning Doughboys, helping them win their conference championship in 1962.  On a fluke, a friend asked him to take the test to be a pilot in the Army; he passed the test and was transferred to Ft. Rucker, Alabama for flight training. While at Ft. Rucker, Joe and Rosalind had their third child, Christine, in June 1964.

Joe was then stationed in Augsburg, Germany, where the family lived while Joe was working with the Army, flying around Europe.

When Joe was sent to Vietnam by the Army, the rest of the family returned to the States and resided in Port Arthur, Texas awaiting his safe return. While in Vietnam, Joe piloted both the DHC-2 Beaver and DHC-3 Otter, single engine planes used to carry personnel and supplies. After leaving the Army in 1967, Joe applied to Northwest Airlines as a pilot. Joe and the family lived in Minnesota until 1972, when they moved back to Louisiana and started a homestead. Joe continued to be employed with NWA for 32 years before retiring in 1999 as a Captain on a 747.  During his employment with NWA, Joe traveled worldwide, mostly to the Orient. While in Thailand, Joe was introduced to an orphanage which was run by the local Church of Christ. He continued to visit the orphanage when he traveled to Thailand. The Lone Pine Church of Christ still provides support for this orphanage.

Following retirement, Joe continued flying every opportunity. He joined the Civil Air Patrol in Lake Charles, for which he flew for almost ten (10) years.  During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrine, Joe logged in more than 25 flying hours surveying the catastrophic damages of cities, communities and towns.  Joe continued working his homestead, growing vegetables, harvesting hay and maintaining livestock. Joe loved farming and growing corn, tomatoes and watermelons.

Joe was a wonderful husband and father. He worked hard at being a good Christian, as he believed in God and was determined to go to Heaven.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of sixty-four years, Rosalind Jeans Maricelli of Merryville, LA; daughters, Sara Yvonne Grant and Mark of Natchitoches, LA, Christine Midkiff and David of Many, LA; grandchildren, Laura Wolf and Derek. Jamie Perez and Rolando, Ryker Grant, Henry Grant and Charlie, Ian Grant; great grandchildren, Micheal Grant, Willow Grant, Zoey Grant, Cameron Wolf and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his son, Joseph Neal Maricelli; parents, Ray and Florence Maricelli; sisters, Yvonne Maricelli, Billie Jean Brown, Regina Harper.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 16, 2024 from 1:00 PM until the time of service at 3:00 PM at Lone Pine Church of Christ in Merryville, LA. Cary Cooley will officiate the service. Pallbearers will be Ryker Grant, Henry Grant, Ian Grant, David Midkiff, Mark Grant, Warren Cooley, Derek Wolf. Burial will follow at Meadows Cemetery in Merryville, LA.