Russell T. Tritico Sr.

Russell T. Tritico, Sr., departed this life September 19, 2015. He was born June 2, 1928, in Franklin, Louisiana. His parents were Lena Caro Tritico and I.T. Tritico. Except for his first six weeks, he lived in Lake Charles his entire life. He is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Thelma Mallett Tritico. He had two children, Russell “Sonny” Tritico, Jr., who pre-deceased him and Kelley Ann Tritico Kershaw, married to Stephen Craig Kershaw and his adored grandson, Stephen Russell Kershaw. His daughter, Kelley was his “little girl” and she could do no wrong. She remained his “little girl” throughout his life. His son, “Sonny”, was his companion and his best friend. The grief over his son’s premature death haunted him. It was his gift of a grandson from Kelley and Stephen, which renewed his vigor for life.

He was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish and a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus.

He attended and graduated from Landry Memorial High School, now St. Louis High School. He was President of his Junior and Senior class and Editor of the Landry Clarion throughout his high school career. Besides being in the band, he played junior varsity baseball, football and was on the varsity boxing team, coached by Camille Khoury. With the entry of our country into World War II, a ROTC program was started at Landry, under the guidance of retired Major. William (Bill) Coleman. All high school students were required to participate and wear khaki uniforms. Officers and non-coms were voted on. Russell was selected as Captain and he then chose his non-coms. The course was sponsored by the local Army National Guard. The plan was to train the students in basic military tactics and prepare them for later entry into the service.

Besides being President of his graduating class, he was also voted ‘Most Popular”.

Following graduation in 1945, he attended the University Of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, Loyola University in New Orleans and McNeese State University, with a BA degree in Education. He studied law under the tutorship of the late Joe J. Tritico, passed the Louisiana State Bar Exam and was admitted to the practice of law in 1951.

In grammar school at Landry, he learned to play the saxophone, under the late Ed See. While still in high school he played in a local dance band, The Starduster’s. Doyle Willis was the leader and they played for local and area high school dances and Proms. He played lead sax with the Loyola Symphonic Band, along with his cousins, Frank and Freddie Assunto and his best friend, Eugene Richard. The Assunto boys were starting a Dixieland band, The Dukes of Dixieland, which later became world famous, after an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. A high point for him while at Loyola was when he got to sit in one night with the Dukes at Prima’s 500 Club, on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

When he returned to McNeese, after leaving Notre Dame, he joined the McNeese dance band, The Collegians. But this time he played a baritone saxophone and carried the rhythm. This was the era of the “Big Band”. They played regular gigs at high schools and McNeese proms and regular gigs at “The Rendevous Club; Bevo’s and; Camel’s Oasis”. He was in the McNeese game in north Louisiana, the band members, along with its director Ed See (formerly band director from Landry), originated what became the McNeese “Fight Song – Jolie LeBlon”.

He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was ordered to report for active duty, after basic training at Great Lakes, during the Korean War. He was given an extension to allow him to close out his fledgling law practice, but his orders were cancelled because the conflict was ending.

He has a successful law career, starting out with his Uncle Joe Tritico and later with his son, Russell, Jr. He was a trial lawyer in both civil and criminal law. His clients were from all walks of life. He treated them all with compassion and dignity. He won many notable decisions. In 1967, his client was awarded the largest damage suit award ever made in the Western District Federal District Court.

In criminal matters, he was successful in many felony trials, including murder, arson, burglary/theft, rape and negligent homicide. He tried criminal jury cases in Calcasieu, Cameron. Beauregard, Allen, Vernon, St. Mary, Jeff-Davis, Vermillion and Evangeline Parishes. His was the case which started the attacks on the accuracy of the early blood alcohol detection machines, i.e. “Breathalyzer.” The case was eventually decided by the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1984, State of Louisiana Vs. Robert Tanner, 457 So2d 1172. When Russell Tritico, Jr., was in law school, that case was still a landmark decision and was being discussed in law schools.

In 1980 he succeeded in forcing the chainsaw manufacturers to start putting chain brakes and other types of “kickback” protection on its saws being sold in the US. The Case was Thomas Perkins vs. Beard Poulan. It was the first verdict ever against a chain saw manufacturer. The Case was awarded Case of the Month, by the American Bar Association in the March 1980 issue of the American Bar Journal.

He was an accomplished woodworker, having learned the fine art of wood joinery under the tutelage of a Master Craftsman, Fr. August Weigand, whom he spent the summer of 1944, working as his apprentice. Fr. Weigand was from Germany and was a parish priest in Sacred Heart Parish. He was building an altar, to be shipped overseas. Although Russell thought his dad had sold him into bondage by “forcing” him to work all summer with the priest, as it later turned out, what he learned introduced him to a hobby, which he enjoyed throughout his adult life. He took pride in his fine furniture and cabinetry. He was a member of the Lake Charles Woodworkers club.

He became interested in boats at an early age. He built his first boat from plans in a Popular Mechanics magazine. This was in his senior year at Landry. The boat was a 14 foot hydroplane. The only problem was it was not built out of “Marine” plywood and didn’t take to water very well. Thereafter, he built two more, but by this time he had learned to use the proper materials. Alongside his woodworking, he was building model airplanes and had taken up photo developing. He was never idle. He was truly “Mr. Fix-it”. He would do plumbing, electrical, mechanical, masonry, or whatever needed to be done. He was an adventurer in the truest sense. He often said the only craft he could not do was welding, although he did try.

As an attorney, he was admitted to all Louisiana State Courts, the Eastern and Western District Federal Courts and he was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1956. He was a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, Southwest Louisiana Bar Association and served as its President in 1998. Member of American Trial Lawyers Association and American Judicature Society. He was a Charter Fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation. A member of the American Board of Trial Advocates in 1992. He was certified by the National Board of Trial Advocates in both civil and criminal trials in 1985. Admitted to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Also he was made a member of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers in 1984. He was classified as Senior Counsel, with The College of Master Advocates and Barristers. He served on many committees of both the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association and the Supreme Court of Louisiana. He was the first President of the SWLA Plaintiff’s Bar Association. He conducted a session of instruction for the local Inns of Court chapter on Selecting Jurors, or how to conduct Voir Dire. He also was a Charter member of the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

In 1997, the City of Lake Charles Police Department awarded him a Commendation of “Outstanding Support of Law Enforcements”.

He was certified in 1992 as a Mediator by Arbitration Forums, Inc.

He has been named in the Best Lawyers in America, a national publication every year from 2000 to his death.

His early interest in computers was instrumental in assisting Judge L.E. Hawsey in implementing the use of computers by the Judges of the 14th JDC, as he was asked to give a demonstration to them, with his first Compaq “portable” computer. Thereafter, computers came into use by the local court.

Besides his law practice and devotion to his wife and two children, Russell and Kelley and his beloved grandson, Stephen Russell, he found time for other hobbies such as, boating, deep sea fishing, even golf (for a time). He earned his Private Pilot’s license and was a Lieutenant and Legal Officer for the local CAP Squadron, flying Search and Rescue training missions for the Air Force, based at Chennault, flying Cessna 172’s, out of the “Black Hangar”.

He and Thelma bought an old CrisCraft runabout and learned to ski. As soon as Sonny and Kelley learned to swim, they taught them to ski, as well. His great joy was taking them at an early age deep sea fishing. He was ecstatic and beaming with pride when they each caught and landed their first Tarpon, at their annual trip to the Intracoastal Rodeo, off shore in the Gulf of Mexico.

He was so very proud when Russell, Jr., passed the Bar Exam and was admitted to the practice of law alongside him. He was equally proud when Kelley became a licensed RN.

He was President of the St. Louis PTA in 1973-74 and President of the St. Louis Board of Directors in 1978.

He served on the Board of the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District (Port Board), as an officer on the The Chennault Industrial Airport Authority Board.

He and his wife, Thelma, were the majority owners and founders of the restaurant “Black Angus” and sole founders and owners of the dinner club, “Gatsby’s, Top O’The Lake”.

He invented and marketed with Boat/US and WestMarine, a computerized device to eliminate the “rotten egg” smell in pleasure boats heads. (Toilets).

He was a lifetime member of the Southwest Louisiana Fishing Club and served a term as its President.

A longtime supporter of McNeese football and basketball and member of the Quarterback and TipOff Clubs, as well as the McNeese and Athletic Foundations. He also found time to teach leisure Learning Courses at McNeese, such as: Do It Yourself Home Repairs, Rod Wrapping and Tarpon Fishing.

He was a member of the local Power Squadron and earned the rank of Advanced Pilot and taught Basic and Advanced Seaman courses.

The family would like to thank Synergy Home Health, especially Cammie Olney, OT, Rachel Gibbs, PT and Shatania Fonder, Aide. Special Thanks to our angel Kristen Futrell Landry. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this time and there will be no reception or visiting after the service.

Visitation will be on Sunday, September 20, 2015 from 4 to 7 pm with a rosary service at 5 pm at Hixson Funeral Home in Lake Charles. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am, Monday, September 21, 2015 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Lake Charles. Burial will follow the service at Consolata Catholic Cemetery. Hixson Funeral Home in Lake Charles will be in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers the family requests all donations be made to the McNeese Foundation in the Russell T. Tritico, Jr. Scholarship Fund. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.