Louis George Cucinotta

1937 - 2020

On Saturday, December 5, 2020, Louis George Cucinotta, M.D., passed away at the age of 82. Louis was born in Brooklyn, NY on December 23, 1937, to Eola Halloran Cucinotta and Louis George Cucinotta, M.D. Eola was a teacher of disabled children, and Louis was a general physician. They met while his father was studying at Tulane and his mother at Newcomb College. The couple then moved to Brooklyn, NY. After the untimely death of his father in 1941, Eola and Louis moved back to New Orleans, LA, to be closer to Eola's family. Louis excelled and graduated from Jesuit High School at the early age of 16 with the class of 1954. In the same year, Louis continued his education at Tulane University studying Zoology where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, an academic honors fraternity. Louis graduated second in his class at Tulane University. He began his medical career at Louisiana State University School of Medicine and graduated with distinction as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha in 1962. In unprecedented fashion, Louis was recruited and offered a residency position by the LSU Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) department head to train in Otorhinolaryngology. Louis became a Fellow of the American Board of Otolaryngology and American College of Surgeons. Louis propelled ENT resident education by leading the ENT Journal Club. He also succeeded as a member of the Committee of 100 - Champions of Excellence for his beloved LSU. After residency, Louis enlisted in the United States Army and served one 12 month tour in Vietnam with the 95th Evacuation Hospital in Da Nang, Vietnam. As an United States Army surgeon, Louis achieved the rank of Major before he was honorably discharged in 1969. He saved the lives of many men, Vietcong and American alike. In a profile in New Orleans magazine Best Doctors, he described the toughest case of his medical career, saving a sniper victim in Vietnam. "He was bleeding from the base of his skull where his jugular vein had been shot. I had my finger in the hole to stop the bleeding. Thirty years later this same man contacted me through the Army hospital's website to thank me for saving his life." Louis was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in 1969, for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces. He was eventually welcomed into the Military Order of Foreign Wars. Louis returned to the U.S. to join the otorhinolaryngology practice of Armand S. Jacques, M.D. Their practice primarily centered at Pendleton Methodist Memorial Hospital and Slidell Hospital. At Pendleton Methodist Memorial, he served as Chief of Surgery, 1989-1991; and, Chief of Staff, 1992-1995. After Hurricane Katrina, Louis' practice expanded to Metairie and Mandeville where he successfully practiced otorhinolaryngology, allergy medicine, and head and neck surgery. He was declared the best ENT in 2015 by New Orleans magazine Best Doctors. As a result of his devotion to the field of medicine, he gave 52 years of his life to the care of patients in the greater New Orleans area. Louis would tell you he never worked a day in his life. He was loved by his patients and treated many generations of families. Louis and his family appreciated the kind words he often received outside of the clinic. He was able, available, and affable to colleagues, nurses, and patients. He was a man of many passions. He reveled in all of his class reunions and retreats at Manresa with his Blue Jay comrades. He and his family travelled the world, and he voyaged with intention, inhaling historical facts on the plane ride over. Louis was preceded in death by his late wife, Lynnea Strieman Cucinotta, and daughter, Rebecca Cucinotta. He was the loving husband of Marcia B. Davila-Cucinotta, M.D.; father of Lynnea Cucinotta Falk, D.V.M. and her husband Christopher Arnold Falk; and, step-father to Michael Cesar Bates. He was also survived by his cousins, loved ones and members of the 95th Evac. Louis had a witty, dry sense of humor that left you wondering. No matter your interaction, he often sprinkled wisdom into conversation. He struck the perfect balance between confidence and humility, personality and poise, and precision and idealism. He was a gentleman's gentleman, a doctor's doctor, and an influence in the life of everyone he encountered. The family will celebrate Louis' life on Friday, December 11, 2020. The visitation will take place at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 155 Bonnabel Blvd. in Metairie from 11:00 a.m. to 12:40 p.m., with refreshments. The family will share words of remembrance from 12:40 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will begin at 1:00 p.m., and the interment will follow at All Saints Mausoleum in Metairie Cemetery. Flowers are welcome, and contributions can be sent to Parkinson Research Foundation. To view and sign the guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.