Louis James Raffetto
Louis James Raffetto
Louis James Raffetto died Sunday
morning, September 16, 2012. He was a
gentleman, a loving husband, and a superb father. Lou was born to Ethel Josephine Reddy
Raffetto and Mario Joseph Raffetto on November 4, 1927 in Ridgewood, New
Jersey. He grew up in Ridgewood, often
spent his summers in Shore Acres sailing and swimming with his brothers and sisters. Lou worked in his family's restaurant and ice
cream shop businesses after his father died in January, 1945. Lou graduated
from St. Luke's High School in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey in 1945. On September 17, 1949 he married Joan Rose
Hartman. In 1962, they packed two
steamer trunks, sold all the furniture, and moved their family of four children
from Ridgewood, New Jersey to Anaheim, California where Lou began working as an
insurance underwriter. The family spent
a month traveling through the United States with just a car and a tent trailer.
Lou and Joan purchased their first home in Anaheim, California and welcomed two
more children to the family. Life was
full of love and short on luxury, but California offered inexpensive college
education and Lou was thinking of his children's futures. In 1968, Lou moved the family to Boise,
Idaho for a better job at Argonaut Insurance.
He also worked as a Vice President for Mission Insurance, and as an
underwriter for Pacific Comp in Reseda,
California. He and Joan moved back home
to Boise in 1989 to retire. Lou
enjoyed his family and was always helping them in some way. After Joan died, he took up cooking and served
family members dinner five nights a week.
This earned him the moniker, "Chez Louie". His
favorite recipes were for peach and cantaloupe ice cream and he taught his
granddaughters to make eggplant parmesan.
He and Joan raised six children, enjoyed playing with 13 grandchildren,
and 9 great-grandchildren. Lou was a
great supporter of education and said that he was most proud that all of his
children had college degrees, and three have advanced degrees. Nine of the grandchildren so far have
earned college degrees and of those, five have acquired advanced degrees. To him, an educated person was on his or her
way to success. Lou spent many years of
leisure time sailing and he loved to play golf with his buddies. He always enjoyed traveling, seeing most of
the United States, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, several destinations in the
Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada. Lou is
survived by his siblings, Jean Branigan, Jim and Ronnie Raffetto, Irene
Silverman, Peter and Carol Raffetto. He
is also survived by his children and their families: Jody and Wayne Vestal
(Elaine, Jean Paul, Jacqueline Theriot; Sean, Emily, Madeleine, Ava, Gabrielle
Vestal; James Vestal), David and Laurie Raffetto (Tony and Lisa); Thomas and
Priscilla (Sophia); Mary and Darwin Chaffin (Greg, Ryann, Caleb, Bennett
Chaffin; Angie, Patrick, Siena, Kian, Braden Coyne; Brandon Chaffin; Chad and
Hayden Chaffin); Daniel and Diane Raffetto (Nick and Sam); Anne Raffetto
(Jonathan Haigh). Lou was preceded in death
by Joan Rose Raffetto, his parents Mario and Ethel, his son Richard Mark
Raffetto, his brother -in-laws Jack Hartman, Robert Branigan, and Arent
Herland, and his nephew Michael Branigan.
The viewing at Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel is on Friday, September 28
from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The funeral mass will be officiated by Rev. Bruno Mgaya at
St. Mark's Catholic Church, 7960 Northview, Boise on Saturday, September 29 at
10 a.m. Lou will join Joan at the
Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, New Jersey.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Louis James Raffetto, please visit our flower store.
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