Eldest child of Dominic and Maria Gagliano. He is predeceased by his brother J. D. Gagliano. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Marilyn Claret Gagliano, their three sons, Paul (Carla), John (Alesia) and Timothy (Karen), and their one and favorite daughter, Lisa Gagliano Loup, seven grandchildren: Amanda, Meghan, Kelsey, Katie, Nicholas, Aidan, Sheraden and three great grandchildren, Dominic, Lucca, and soon to be Ronin. He is also survived by his sister, Frances G. Rouchon, of San Antonio, Texas, and sister-in-law Ruth Dean Gagliano of Mobile, Alabama.
Mr. Gagliano was born in New Orleans in 1926, graduate of St. Aloysius High School in 1942, served our nation in WWII in the United States Navy, received a bachelors degree from Tulane University’s College of Engineering in 1948, and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law school in 1957.
He worked as an attorney in Metairie from 1958 till 1981 when he transitioned with Mechanical Construction Company (MCC) of New Orleans as Vice President for Business Development and General Counsel. He retired from MCC in 1991, returning to private law practice until he retired in 2009.
All during his legal and business careers, he was very active in professional, business and civic organizations. Louisiana Engineering Society, American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers, the American and Louisiana Bar Associations, President of the Metairie Business Association, Chairman of the East Jefferson Council of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce and the Metairie Family YMCA. In 1963, he was appointed by the Jefferson Parish Council to a planning committee to create an East Bank Public Hospital, which became East Jefferson General Hospital. That committee became the first Board of Directors for EJGH, and he remained an active member of that Board until 1981, serving as Chairman of the Board in 1978-79. He was also the principal party creating the East Jefferson General Hospital Foundation, serving as the first chairman of its governing board. He was also a long time volunteer at EJGH.
Mr. Gagliano’s passion was traditional jazz and served on the Board of Directors and volunteer attorney for the New Orleans Jazz Club. He was a New Orleans correspondent for Downbeat Magazine covering the local jazz scene. In 1949 he became the first business manager for the George Lewis Jazz Band of New Orleans, led by clarinetist George Lewis, who played a key role in the 1940's revival of New Orleans Jazz. Mr. Gagliano’s involvement with the band became the subject of a book published in 2010 under the title “The Fabulous George Lewis Band - The Inside Story” by Barry Martyn with Nick Gagliano, and distributed by LSU Press.
He was a life-long and faithful member of the Catholic Church, and was a founding member of St. Angela Merici Parish, serving on the parish lay governing board, early music leader, lector, Eucharistic Minister, the church choir and was awarded the Medallion of the Order of St. Louis for his long time service. He was also a long time attendee of the silent retreats held at Manresa House of Retreats.
Family and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at St. Angela Merici Church at 835 Melody Drive, Metairie, on Tuesday April 3rd. Visitation for family will begin at the church at 9:30 am and general visitation from 10-12 with mass and internment following. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the East Jefferson General Hospital Foundation or to Manresa House of Retreats.
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