Joseph A. Pariseau

Capt. Joseph A. Pariseau, US Navy Ret., age 82, died on February 23, 2002. He was born March 19, 1919, in Franklin, MA, the son of a baker. Nurtured by a loving family of seven, Joe spent a happy childhood in Attleboro, MA, excelling in sports like the other Pariseau boys. He attended Providence College on a football scholarship, graduating in 1941 with a BS in Philosophy and attended Navy Post Graduate School at Annapolis, MD, in 1950. After earning his Navy wings in 1942, he was assigned to VP-63, flying combat missions based from Wales, Gibraltar and North Africa, patrolling for German submarines. Other career highlights include Flight Ordinance Test Pilot with VX-5, Fleet Air Gunnery Unit precursor to Top Gun, Aide to Admiral Wendell Switzer, an icon in Naval Aviation, evaluation of the first US angled carrier deck on USS Antietam and Air Boss on the USS Ranger. He served as Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron VF-53, Carrier Early Warning Wing 12 and NAS Chase Field. During his career, he flew over forty aircraft types. His many Naval Honors include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with star, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two stars, and the Meritorious Service Medal for his work as Project Manager for the Navy's billion dollar E-2C Hawkeye aircraft project. After his 30-year career as a Naval Aviator, the "Flying Frenchman" his aviator call sign retired to manage the ranch in Beeville, TX for 31 years. He was married to Mary D. Lassiter, of New York, until her death in 1960. He married Anna Claire Heard of Beeville, in 1965. They remained devoted to each other and married for 36 years until her death on February 13, 2002. He is survived by his daughter, Paige Pariseau Ochenrider of Whitefish, MT; son, Robert R. Pariseau and wife Laurie of San Antonio, TX; brother, Roland Pariseau; sister, Lucille Pariseau, both of Attleboro, MA; grandchildren, Michael Pariseau of Mountain View, CA, Stacey Lowrance of Tacoma, WA, and Mark Ochenrider of Seattle, WA; great grandchildren, Colton and Madilynn Lowrance. A talented chef and superb dancer, he was devoted to his family and a true "gentleman." A hero perhaps only in the eyes of his family, he certainly contributed to his generation's well-deserved reputation as this nation's greatest.