William Carey Salassi, a resident of McKinney, Texas, Ponchatoula, Louisiana, and New Orleans, Louisiana, following a brief battle with cancer, passed away peacefully at his home in McKinney. He was predeceased by his loving, and beloved wife of 62 years, Ellen Marie Doucas, his parents, the Reverend Mitchell and Theolide Salassi, and his brother Carol Salassi. He was born in Pineville, Louisiana, and was a member of the first graduating class in Chemical Engineering at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now UL Lafayette), where he met Ellen, as well as serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps while enrolled in college. He served aboard the USS Pickens in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He was a Freemason for more than 70 years, serving as Secretary for many years, as well as Master, at the Pine Grove Lodge. He taught adult-level Sunday School for more than 50 years, and donated over 13 gallons of blood over his lifetime. As part of the Kaiser Aluminum team, he participated in the construction and opening of the Chalmette plant, where he bowled on the plant bowing team and sang in the plant chorus in the 1950's, and from which he ultimately retired as their plant Industrial Hygienist. He and Ellen traveled extensively in the U.S., Europe, and the Pacific, and he attended more than 40 Elderhostel (Road Scholar) programs. He loved fishing, growing vegetables and fruit, listening to and singing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and Broadway music, reading, and telling Cajun stories. He was constantly faithful to his Lord, and reflected His goodness to others.
William Carey is survived by daughters, Barbara (Russell) Foreman of McKinney Texas, Mary (the late Michael) desBordes of Hammond LA; three grandsons, Kenneth (Jane) Foreman, Rusty (Jan) Foreman, and Andrew (Nicole) Foreman: six great-grandchildren: Daniel, George, Timothy, and Hannah, Michelle and Colette Foreman: his sister DeEster Stone, as well as a host of other loving family and friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, on Sunday, June 9, 2019 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Visitation will continue at the funeral home on Monday, June 10 at 10:00 AM. A funeral service will be held in the Chapel beginning at 12:00 PM. Interment will follow at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum. The family expresses special thanks to his caregivers Grace Onguti and Florence Jewsbury, and the kind people at Harris Hospice for their courtesy and compassion. "May you live forever."
To view and sign the guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.
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