Italian American Digest 7Italian American Digest FALL 2018 | Page 6

I talian A merican D igest
PAGE 6
FALL 2018
Local Pharmacist Remembers St. Patrick’s Parade with Pride
by Enrico Villamaino
highest honor. He was honored when
the parade committee informed him
A longtime fixture in the local
that he was their selection to serve as
business community, Al Spitale was
grand marshal.
honored by the Metairie Road St.
The parade was held on March
Patrick’s Day Committee
11. In addition to
when he was named grand
serving as grand
marshal of the annual St.
marshal, Spitale
Patrick’s Day Parade.
was quick to point
Spitale, 69, is a proud Ital-
out a few other
ian American and native of
very important
Independence, La.
details that made
He moved to New Orle-
the day extra spe-
ans with his family when he
cial. “My lovely
was 10 years old. His father
wife of 43 years,
relocated the family to set
Terry, was by my
himself up in business as a
side as the beauti-
grocer.
ful parade queen.
Spitale attended school
And the parade
in the Irish Channel, where
route runs right
many of his closest child-
by my mother’s
hood friends were from
house on Severn
Irish families. “It was a great
Avenue!”
community,” Spitale said. He
Information
went on to graduate from
about
St. Patrick
Redemptorist High School
Day festivities in
in 1966 and continued his
New Orleans can
studies at Xavier University,
be found at www.
majoring in pharmacology.
stpatricksdayne-
He has served his community
worleans.com.
as a pharmacist at Majoria
Al Spitale was selected as grand marshal as a respected local Italian-American businessman.
Drugs for over 30 years. “My
pharmacy is right along the parade
route. I’ve enjoyed that parade for so
many years,” he explained.
“The 10-person parade committee
asked me out to lunch one day,” he
said. “I wasn’t sure what it was about.”
They explained to him that it was
their custom to nominate respected
members of the local business and
civic communities to receive their
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