Joel Frank De Silva Sr.

Joel Frank De Silva, 82, of Metairie, LA, passed March 28, 2022 at Ochsner Hospital after battling cancer. He was born November 13, 1939, in New Orleans, LA to Frank J. De Silva, Jr. and Helen Naegele De Silva. His siblings are the late Frank E. De Silva, Mary Beth De Silva Michel, and the late Helen De Silva Stern. He was once married to Patricia Silva Riemer and went on to be with his lifelong partner, Karen A. Odom.

He served in the Air National Guard and earned his bachelor and master’s degrees in Economics from the University of New Orleans. During that time, he was a member of The International Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi and Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternities. In professional life, he worked his entire career as an economist and had other stints in the private sector and Lafourche Parish government. He also taught for a time at Nichols State University.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Frank, his sister, Helen Ann, his son, Joel Frank De Silva, Jr. and his grandson, Sean Garrett. He is survived by his sons Jon and Frank De Silva, grandchildren Jeanine De Silva, Lauren Pulling, Kristen Johnson, Lauren, Courtney, Jeanne, and Sam De Silva, Tiffany Horton, and Kristal Horton Schmidt. His great-grandchildren are Michael Crawford, Benjamin Hunt, Gianna Garrett, Britni Billings, Jonathan Simon, Jr., Isabelle Schmidt, and Donovan Schmidt.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the graveside service on Friday, April 15, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Metairie Cemetery, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124.

The online guestbook is available at www.leitzeaganfuneralhome.com.