Roy Joseph Ingraffia, Sr., M.D. died peacefully at home on June 17, 2019. He was 84. Dr. Ingraffia was born in Independence, Louisiana, the son of the late Joseph Peter and Rose (Mella) Ingraffia of Tickfaw, Louisiana, the town where Dr. Ingraffia grew up on the Hillside Dairy Farm. He graduated from Independence High School in 1952, where he won numerous 4-H awards. Planning a career in agriculture, Dr. Ingraffia graduated from Louisiana State University in 1957 with a B.S. in dairy manufacturing. Soon realizing that medicine was his true calling, Dr. Ingraffia attended Southeastern Louisiana University to complete his premed requirements before graduating from LSU Medical School in 1963. While in medical school, he met and fell in love with Colleen Sullivan, his loving and devoted wife of 56 years. After graduation from medical school, he interned at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, TN and then served in the United States Air Force, attaining the rank of Captain. He married Colleen in 1962, with their first years stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where they welcomed their first child, Edmond Joseph. Upon returning to New Orleans, Dr. Ingraffia completed his residency at Charity Hospital in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. He subsequently practiced at Baptist Hospital in New Orleans and was Board Certified by the American Board of Radiology and the American Board of Nuclear Medicine and was an Assistant Instructor in Radiology at Tulane University Medical School. Dr. Ingraffia was very involved in the medical community, serving on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Radiology Society, the Executive Committee of the Orleans Parish Medical Society, was a member of the House of Delegates for the Louisiana State Medical Society, and was appointed by Louisiana Governor David Treen to serve a four year appointment on the Health Education Authority of Louisiana. Dr. Ingraffia also practiced at Northshore Medical Center in Slidell, Louisiana, where he was the Director of the Department of Radiology, Wilson Memorial Hospital in Wilson, North Carolina, and Humana Hospital in Winnfield, Louisiana. Dr. Ingraffia was on the Board and very active with New Orleans Right to Life. He also belonged to the New Orleans Lawn and Tennis Club, was involved in the Serra Club, the Rotary Club of New Orleans and in addition to his work, was passionate about travel, gourmet cooking, the opera, and the study of philosophy and economics. He was a member of the Bienville Club and several Carnival organizations. Outside of his family, his greatest love was fine wine. He was an avid oenophile and was co-owner and founder of the Uptown Square Winery in New Orleans from 1977-1984.
In 1992, Dr. Ingraffia suffered a debilitating stroke as a result of a car accident, at which time he retired from the practice of medicine. He has lived the past twenty-seven years with unfailing faith, often attending daily Mass at St. Theresa of Avila Church in New Orleans. He is survived by his wife, Colleen and their five children: Edmond Joseph Ingraffia (Michelle) of New Orleans; Courtney Ingraffia Barton (Michael) of Arlington, VA; Celeste Ingraffia Robbins (Noel) of Austin, TX; Burke Thomas Ingraffia of Alexandria, VA; Roy Joseph Ingraffia, Jr. (Erin), of Ardmore, PA and his grandchildren: Josephine Judith Barton, Everett James Ingraffia, Adeline Vieve Ingraffia, Trent Michael Joseph Bankston, Lara Taraesa Bankston, and many, many, cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Peter Ingraffia and Rose (Mella) Ingraffia. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, June 21, 2019 at The National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, 2701 State St., New Orleans, LA at 11:00 AM. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by the funeral mass and a graveside service at Metairie Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the New Orleans Right to Life Educational Foundation https://prolifelouisiana.org/chapter/new-orleans-right-to-life/ or to the International Dominican Foundation https://internationaldominicanfoundation.org/.
To view and sign the family guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.
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