Frank Lawrence Cortello

Frank Lawrence Cortello 2/12/1924-8/24/2012 A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Frank Lawrence Cortello will be held at 10 a.m., Monday August 27, 2012, in St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, with Father Jose Robles-Sanchez and Father Ker Texada officiating. Interment will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Ball, under the direction of John Kramer & Son. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Monday at John Kramer & Son. A recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. Frank Lawrence Cortello, 88, passed away peacefully August 24, 2012, in CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, with family by his side. He was born in New Orleans, but lived most of his adult life in Alexandria. He was preceded in death by his parents, Salvador J. Cortello and Gertrude C. Cortello and two brothers, Salvador and Joseph Cortello. Mr. Cortello served in the United States Navy during World War II aboard three ships in the Pacific Fleet; USS Pledge (mine sweeper); USS Tombigbee (tanker) and the USS Crescent City (attack transport). As Signalman and Gunner on these ships, he fought in several campaigns including: Guam; Ulithi; Saipan; Tinian; Volcanic Islands; Iwo Jima; Ryukyus; Okinawa, Nagasaki; Phillipines Islands; Mariannas Islands; Guadal Canal; Solomon Islands; Bismarck Islands and Emirau. We are all proud of his service to our country and would like to add that Mr. Cortello never talked about it. After the war, Mr. Cortello went home and joined the New Orleans Police Department as a line officer and motorcycle patrolman. He won top marksmanship several times in pistol competition. In the 50's he changed careers and became retail sales manager at a store he ran in Natchez, Mississippi. He later moved to Alexandria where he would manage Stein's. He was known to many from Caplan's Men's Store where he was the store manager. After retirement from retail, he started his career as an investigator for his son, Attorney Glenn Cortello, and subsequently for the Rapides Parish Public Defender's Office. Mr. Cortello was always civic minded and a member of several clubs, including: American Legion; Alexandria Chamber of Commerce; VFW; Knights of Columbus; President of Cenla Civitan; President of Amicus Club; four time President of Amerita Federation, where he convinced Governor Dave Treen to proclaim March 19 as Italian-American Heritage Day. Each year he was Master of Ceremonies for the St. Joseph's Altar at the Amerita Club he also sponsored the Boy Scouts with a spaghetti dinner. He was a longtime member of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church where he attended mass regularly. He is lovingly survived by his wife of 63 years, Angelina Mannina; one sister, Phyllis Martin and her husband, Harold; two sons, Glenn G. Cortello and his wife, Lydia; and Frank J. Cortello and his wife, Cynthia; two daughters, Sandra Ellington and her husband, Greg; Terry Antoon and her husband, Robert; eleven grandchildren, Courtney; Benjamin; Candice; Adilya; James; Nicholas; Elizabeth; Angelena; Amanda; Austin; Amelia and seven great grandchildren. Serving the family as pallbearers will include: Nicholas Antoon; James Ellington; Dr. Sam Bouz; Joe Dalrymple; Ellis Saybe; and Dr. Greg Gormanous. Online notes of condolence may be sent to the family at kramerfunerals@aol.com.