Dr. Vincent V. Tumminello

Dr. Vincent V. Tumminello passed away peacefully on November 14, 2021. Vincent was born on All Saints Day, November 1, 1932, in New Orleans. He lived most of his life in this city that he loved the most. He was a 1950 graduate of Jesuit High School and was a proud Blue Jay all of his life. He completed his undergraduate studies at Loyola University then graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Medicine. He then studied for his General Surgery Residency at LSU and further medical training at Charity Hospital. It was at Charity Hospital where he met the love of his life and best friend, Rosetta Anzalone, a student at Charity Nursing School. They married in 1957 in Independence, Louisiana. He served his country in the United States Air Force as a medical doctor from 1959-1961 at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. They then moved back to New Orleans and continued to grow their family to four children, Vincent’s greatest accomplishment. Vincent practiced general surgery at West Jefferson Hospital for 35 years and was Chief of Staff at West Jefferson. He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Vincent loved God with his whole heart and practiced his Catholic faith in many ways. He was a lector and cantor at his parish St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church in Algiers where his children attended elementary school. He was a Man of Manresa and looked forward to the annual retreats that nourished his faith. Later in life, he and Rosetta moved to Metairie where they joined St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church where Vincent was a member of the Saint Vincent DePaul Society. The final letter he wrote to his family provided the reminders to “remember that family comes first and foremost” and to “Live Jesus in your hearts… Forever”.

Vincent was a self-taught man in so many ways. It was in his forties that he taught himself how to swim. He learned computers before most and led the technology advancement at his medical practice at Expressway Medical Center. He learned how to fish the bayous of South Louisiana where he often took his three boys on adventures catching redfish and his favorite, speckled trout. He loved his time at the family swimming pool and you could always find Vincent at the grill cooking his grandchildren's favorite foods. Vincent had a love of music that started with playing the French horn in high school. It continued with the joy of performing with a barbershop quartet and being a cantor in church. This love of music led to a house full of children raised to enjoy the love of music.

Vincent is preceded in death by his father Dr. Joseph A. Tumminello, his mother Margarite Manale Tumminello, and his sister Frances Tumminello Foucheaux (Paul Foucheaux) together with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Vincent is survived by his adoring wife Rosetta Anzalone Tumminello; his four children Dr. Vincent V. Tumminello, Jr. (Mari Rodriguez Tumminello), Joseph A. Tumminello (Ana Tarajano Tumminello), Peter I. Tumminello (Susan Holsomback Tumminello), and Katherine Tumminello Thiesse (Trav Thiesse); his 10 grandchildren Vincent Tumminello III (Mandy Laszewski Tumminello), Margaret Tumminello Tyburski (Steve Tyburski), Katherine Tumminello Tyner (Daniel Tyner), Mary Beth Tumminello, Joseph A. Tumminello Jr. (Grace Snell Tumminello), Ellie Tumminello Hawkins (Wade Hawkins), Mariana Tumminello Powers (Bradley Powers), Andrew Thiesse, Grace Thiesse, and Peter R. Tumminello. He is also survived by three great-grandchildren, Vincent A. Tumminello, Julianna Tumminello, and Annemarie Tyburski,

The family would like to give special thanks to all of the staff at the Blake at the Grove in Baton Rouge for their care in Vincent’s last few months. In particular, we want to thank his caregivers Kia and Brittney.

There will be a Visitation at Lake Lawn Funeral Home, located at 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans at 1 pm on Monday, November 22, 2021, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 3 pm at the Lake Lawn chapel.

The family asks that those interested in donating on behalf of Vincent to direct donations to Jesuit High School, 4133 Banks St., New Orleans, LA 70119.