Roll Call Tribute

Louis Anthony "Lou" Venincasa 

October 7, 1932 - September 6, 2024 

Louis Anthony Venincasa, age 91, of Dallas, Texas passed away Friday, September 6, 2024.

Louis Venincasa went to join his Heavenly Father on Friday, September 6, 2024. He was born on October 7, 1932, in San Antonio, Texas to Katherine and Michael Venincasa who immigrated from Calabria, Italy as children. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio in 1950 and received a BS in Industrial Engineering and Army Commission from Texas A&M University in 1954. He served as a lieutenant for two years with the Second Armored Division in Germany. He joined Fritz W. Glitsch and Sons in Dallas as a project engineer in 1956 and retired as Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 1989.

Lou met his love, Geraldine Levy, in January 1960 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They were married that December and moved to Demarest, New Jersey where he worked in the New York City office. Their three children Michael, Mark, and Laura were all born during their fifteen-year stay. Lou served as a Borough of Demarest Councilman and headed the installation of sanitary sewers, protected town-owned land which is now a nature center, and worked with the staff of Senator Harrison Williams to include Columbus Day in the three-day weekend bill passed by the US Congress in 1970. That year, he ran for mayor as an independent having won at the polls but was 9 votes shy after the absentee ballots were counted. He was asked to run for Congress in 1972 and said he was a Texan, not a carpetbagger. In addition, Lou coached his twin sons Farm and Little League baseball teams.

Lou took over the Dallas sales office and relocated his family in 1976. During this time with Glitsch, Lou traveled to Europe, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Japan. Based on his success, Lou was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Glitsch International. He retired in 1989, started his own company, L.A. Venincasa and Associates, and continued in the petrochemical refining industry for several more years.

In August 2008, Geri and Lou moved to Highland Springs, an Erickson retirement living. They quickly loved the facilities, the staff, and the residents. In September 2008, Lou was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease, and was told he had 2-5 years to live, as there is no cure. Another nightmare happened in November 2009 as his wife, Geri, received the terrible news that she had stage IV lung cancer and died peacefully in her sleep on October 18, 2010. Lou showed his Fightin’ Texas Aggie Spirit and toughness over the next fourteen years with the devoted support of family and caregivers… Ofelia Koelsch, Margie Gusman, and Miko Ngeke. He will be sorely missed by his loving family, relatives, and friends.

Lou was preceded in death by his parents Michael and Katherine Monaco Venincasa; wife Geraldine Levy Venincasa; sister Mary Grace Guido and husband Charlie; brother Joseph Venincasa; daughter-in-law Patrawan Venincasa; and grandson Matthew Venincasa.

A visitation for Louis will be held Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 President George Bush, Dallas, TX 75252. Rosary will take place at 8:00 PM. A funeral mass will occur Friday, September 13, 2024 at 11:00 AM at All Saints Catholic Church, 5231 Meadowcreek Dr, Dallas, TX 75248.There will be a private family burial on Friday September, 13, 2024 at 2:30 PM at Rolling Oaks Cemetery, 400 Freeport Pkwy, Coppell, Tx 75019.

The Last Corps Trip

It was Judgment Day in Aggieland
And tenseness filled the air;
All knew there was a trip at hand,
But not a soul knew where.

Assembled on the drill field
Was the world-renowned Twelfth Man,
The entire fighting Aggie team
And the famous Aggie Band.

And out in front with Royal Guard
The reviewing party stood;
St. Peter and his angel staff
Were choosing bad from good.

First he surveyed the Aggie team
And in terms of an angel swore,
“By Jove, I do believe I’ve seen
This gallant group before.

I’ve seen them play since way back when,
And they’ve always had the grit;
I’ve seen ‘em lose and I’ve seen ‘em win,
But I’ve never seen ‘em quit.

No need for us to tarry here
Deciding upon their fates;
Tis plain as the halo on my head
That they’ve opened Heaven’s gates.”

And when the Twelfth Man heard this,
They let out a mighty yell
That echoed clear to Heaven
and shook the gates of Hell.

“And what group is this upon the side,”
St. Peter asked his aide,
“That swelled as if to burst with pride
When we our judgment made?”

“Why, sir, that’s the Cadet Corps
That’s known both far and wide
For backing up their fighting team
Whether they won, lost or tied.”

“Well, then,” said St. Peter,
“It’s very plain to me
That within the realms of Heaven
They should spend eternity.

And have the Texas Aggie Band
At once commence to play
For their fates too we must decide
Upon this crucial day.”

And the drum major so hearing
Slowly raised his hand
And said, “Boys, let’s play The Spirit
For the last time in Aggieland.”

And the band poured forth the anthem
In notes both bright and clear
And ten thousand Aggie voices
Sang the song they hold so dear.

And when the band had finished,
St. Peter wiped his eyes
And said, “It’s not so hard to see
They’re meant for Paradise.”

And the colonel of the Cadet Corps said
As he stiffly took his stand,
“It’s just another Corps Trip, boys,
We’ll march in behind the band.”

- by P.H. DuVal, Jr. '51