Joseph M. Maricelli
1939 ~ 2024
Captain 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 on December 06, 1939 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 opted to entered extended active duty with the U.S. Army as a newly commissioned 2/Lt. He reported to Ft. Benning, Georgia for basic infantry officer training. While at Ft. Benning, Joe played football for the Ft. Benning Doughboys, helping them win their conference championship in 1962. On a fluke, a friend asked him to take the screening tests to be a pilot in the Army; he passed the battery of tests and was transferred to Ft. Rucker, Alabama for flight training. In June of 1964, while stationed at Ft. Rucker, Joe and Rosalind had their third child.
Upon early his Army Aviator Wings, Joe was assigned to the Army airfield at Augsburg, Germany. The family lived at Augsburg while Joe was assigned aviator duties flying around Europe.
Thereafter the Army reassigned Joe to remote assignment in The Republic of Vietnam, 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. In 1967 Joe completed his active-duty obligation and returned to civilian life.
In late 1967 Joe applied for airline pilot employment with Northwest Airlines. His initial date of hire at NWA was December 04, 1967. He received his initial crew qualification as second officer on the Boeing 727. Joe and the family resided in Newort, Minnesota and he continued the standard progression of aircraft upgrades, until 1972, when the family opted to move back to Louisiana and build their own homestead.
Joe continued became an accomplished ‘commutter’ and was employed by NWA for 32 years before retiring in 1999 as a Captain on a 747 classic. During his employment with NWA, Joe flew airliners worldwide, but 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 at 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.
Joe's warm radiant personality made sharing the cockpit with him a delight.
(~ Maricelli family and Bill Day)