Funeral services for Philip B. Serio will be held on Friday, March 11 at 2:00 PM at Hillcrest Funeral Home, conducted by Msgr. Earl Provenza. Military graveside honors will follow. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 PM on Thursday, followed by a vigil service and rosary in the Hillcrest Chapel. Philip died peacefully at Grace Home on March 8, 2011.
Philip was born in Alexandria, LA on June 28, 1920 to Charles Serio of Cefalu', Italy and Francesca Delia of Winnfield, LA. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1937, and shipped out for China and the South Pacific with the Asiatic Fleet. A "dream" transfer to Honolulu, Hawaii became a nightmare on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Philip was an electrician aboard the seaplane tender U.S.S. Curtiss – his task was to restore power in the remaining engine room when the ship was bombed and taking on water. He escaped injury and continued his Naval career. While on leave in 1950, he attended the Shreveport wedding of Sarah Maggio and Monty Glorioso. There he met a pretty bridesmaid named Angelina Serio who was ten years his junior, and they married 2 ½ weeks later. He whisked his Bossier bride off to his new post in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a remote desert locale known mostly to Indians and atomic weapons testing. After Angie tutored Philip in math for an exam, he credited his smart young wife with his appointment as a top secret international courier in the Special Weapons program. They lived in Albuquerque and Norfolk, VA until Philip's Naval retirement in 1957. Making Bossier City their home, he operated Phil's Package Liquor for 10 years. He and Angie then operated Angie's Shoes in Bossier for 25 years.
Philip was passionate about fishing and horse racing. He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the Pearl Harbor Survivors' Association, the U.S S. Curtiss Association, the Fleet Reserve Association, American Legion and VFW. He loved the U.S. Navy and took pride in his military accomplishments. But his truest display of heroism was the care and devotion he gave Angelina throughout her 15 years of Alzheimer's Disease. Despite his own advancing age and ill health, she remained the center of his universe until her death.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Frances; his sisters Vera Serio Medica, Annie Serio Giordano, and Mary Serio Distefano; and his beloved wife Angelina Serio Serio. He is survived by daughter Linda Serio, son Phil, Jr. (wife Sarah) and family, and loving nieces and nephews. He will be missed by his blue-eyed kitty Bubu, an entertaining companion in Philip's final years.
Honorary pallbearers will be Greg Salario, Jim Vanderberry and Johnnie Estess.
Special thanks to caregiver Mary Autry; to Drs. Charles Powers, Tom Smith, Raghu Nathan and WK Bossier staff for years of attentive care; to the NWLA War Veterans Home, to Ruby; and to Phil's "girlfriends" Clem, Sue, Hope and Kelly.
Memorial donations may be made to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 315 Marshall Street, Shreveport, LA, 71101.
Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home
601 Highway 80, Haughton, LA 71037 | (318) 949-9415
Funeral services for Philip B. Serio will be held on Friday, March 11 at 2:00 PM at Hillcrest Funeral Home, conducted by Msgr. Earl Provenza. Military graveside honors will follow. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 PM on Thursday, followed by a vigil service and rosary in the Hillcrest Chapel. Philip died peacefully at Grace Home on March 8, 2011.
Philip was born in Alexandria, LA on June 28, 1920 to Charles Serio of Cefalu', Italy and Francesca Delia of Winnfield, LA. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1937, and shipped out for China and the South Pacific with the Asiatic Fleet. A "dream" transfer to Honolulu, Hawaii became a nightmare on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Philip was an electrician aboard the seaplane tender U.S.S. Curtiss – his task was to restore power in the remaining engine room when the ship was bombed and taking on water. He escaped injury and continued his Naval career. While on leave in 1950, he attended the Shreveport wedding of Sarah Maggio and Monty Glorioso. There he met a pretty bridesmaid named Angelina Serio who was ten years his junior, and they married 2 ½ weeks later. He whisked his Bossier bride off to his new post in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a remote desert locale known mostly to Indians and atomic weapons testing. After Angie tutored Philip in math for an exam, he credited his smart young wife with his appointment as a top secret international courier in the Special Weapons program. They lived in Albuquerque and Norfolk, VA until Philip's Naval retirement in 1957. Making Bossier City their home, he operated Phil's Package Liquor for 10 years. He and Angie then operated Angie's Shoes in Bossier for 25 years.
Philip was passionate about fishing and horse racing. He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the Pearl Harbor Survivors' Association, the U.S S. Curtiss Association, the Fleet Reserve Association, American Legion and VFW. He loved the U.S. Navy and took pride in his military accomplishments. But his truest display of heroism was the care and devotion he gave Angelina throughout her 15 years of Alzheimer's Disease. Despite his own advancing age and ill health, she remained the center of his universe until her death.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Frances; his sisters Vera Serio Medica, Annie Serio Giordano, and Mary Serio Distefano; and his beloved wife Angelina Serio Serio. He is survived by daughter Linda Serio, son Phil, Jr. (wife Sarah) and family, and loving nieces and nephews. He will be missed by his blue-eyed kitty Bubu, an entertaining companion in Philip's final years.
Honorary pallbearers will be Greg Salario, Jim Vanderberry and Johnnie Estess.
Special thanks to caregiver Mary Autry; to Drs. Charles Powers, Tom Smith, Raghu Nathan and WK Bossier staff for years of attentive care; to the NWLA War Veterans Home, to Ruby; and to Phil's "girlfriends" Clem, Sue, Hope and Kelly.
Memorial donations may be made to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 315 Marshall Street, Shreveport, LA, 71101.
Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home
601 Highway 80, Haughton, LA 71037 | (318) 949-9415
Inscription
CPO USN RET
USS CURTISS-PEARL HARBOR
TOGETHER FOREVER
PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION
Gravesite Details
GPS +32.55663,-93.61969