Obituaries for DECEMBER 2005; Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, La. Submitted by Louis Lavedan. Source: The Lafourche Daily Comet Last modified: 24 Dec 2005 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. ============================================================================ December 28. 2005 2:45PM Salvatore Bilello Salvatore "Sam" Bilello, 93, a native and resident of Thibodaux, died Dec. 27, 2005. Visitation will be 1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Co-cathedral in Thibodaux. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the church, with burial at St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux. He is survived by his wife, Celia Bono Bilello; sons Donald, Ronald and Gerald Bilello; daughters Diane B. Delaune, Linda B. Hebert and Sherry B. Dugas; and brothers Joseph and Anthony Bilello; 14 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Antonio Bilello and Vita Marcello; brothers Charley, Carlo, John and Lucien Bilello. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and Italian Society. He was a past member of the Krewe of Christopher and Krewe of Chronos. He was a volunteer firefighter for Thibodaux. Landry's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. ============================================================================ December 29. 2005 4:02PM Salvatore "Sam" Bilello Longtime restaurant owner dies Katina A. Gaudet Staff Writer A longtime restaurateur in the Thibodaux community has died. Salvatore "Sam" Bilello got into the restaurant business with the Venetian Bar and Donut Shop in downtown Thibodaux, where it's said that lines of people would form down the block for a taste of the fried treats. After owning it for about 40 years, he sold it to a cousin. He also opened Bilello's Restaurant and Lounge on St. Mary Street, a place where he and his brothers created a Lafourche tradition, by many accounts, and one that ended in 1987 with the restaurant's closure. Bilello, who developed his love for cooking by helping his mother at home, died Tuesday. He was 93 years old. "We had people from all over the world to come to that place," said Bilello of his restaurant in an interview with the Daily Comet when his restaurant closed. "When they came to Thibodaux, that is where they wanted to go. They couldn't even pronounce the name, but they knew where they wanted to go." Daughter Sherry Dugas remembers the visiting stars that would sometimes drop in Bilello's, autographing menus on their stops to the restaurant. In the 1970s, Bilello's was hailed as the Pride of Lafourche and the New Orleans Underground Gourmet would greet the restaurant with four stars. Bilello's offered a large menu, replete with Italian and French cuisine for reasonable prices. But Bilello's wasn't only a place where people would go for food. "Many people met up with him and he gave them a break by hiring them to work for them," said Dugas of her father. Bilello's was also known to co-sign loans for businesses and other ventures for people around town. "He was a compassionate man," said brother Anthony "Tony" Bilello, who began Bilello's with his brother. "He did a lot for people." He was also nice to work with, said Bilello, the youngest of the Bilello brothers who retired from the family restaurant after 37 years of service. Bilello's remained open a few years after he left. "They had to have one responsible person to lead the whole Indian tribe, more or less," said Bilello. "Sam, he wasn't the oldest, but he had more business savvy, you know, and that's why a lot of people think Sam was the oldest." Sam Bilello met many people through his business ventures. One of those people was Odel Zeringue, who has worked in the insurance business for more than 50 years locally. He began doing business with Sam Bilello way back and the two became friends. He recalls an amiable and even tempered man, one who always kept his cool and who was always respectful. "I have never in all my years in business or whatever saw Mr. Sam get really irritated or anything," said Zeringue. "He was always a cool gentleman, and if you had something to tell him, he'd listen to you." "He was a very, very nice guy." Sam Bilello was also a charter member of the Thibodaux Lions Club, and one of two remaining of the 27 charter members. Visitation will be 1 to 2:30 p.m. today at St. Joseph Co-cathedral in Thibodaux. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. today at the church, with burial at St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux.