Obituary - Joseph Barakat Rossie

Joseph Barakat Rossie of Richmond passed away peacefully at home early on the morning of September 23. He was just weeks short of his 64th wedding anniversary and his 97th birthday.

He was born in a working class neighborhood on November 11, 1923, in the New York City apartment of his Lebanese immigrant parents, a few blocks from Wall Street. He was the second of five children to Barakat and Mary Rossie, and the only boy. After a few years, the young family joined other Lebanese Catholics of the Melkite and Maronite rites who flocked to Brooklyn, particularly the Bay Ridge area. There, Joe was constantly surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins and his four beloved sisters. Family and church remained central to his life from beginning to end. When the Rossie children and cousins play-acted as adults, Joe sometimes chose to be a priest. When they went out he remained home to read his bible, which earned him the nickname “Bishop” among his sisters and cousins. Later, as an adult, only a round of golf, a set of tennis or a fresh copy of the Wall Street Journal could occasionally compete with family and faith for his attention. In World War II, he joined the Army Air Corps. He fondly remembered his time at Kearney Army Air Base in Nebraska, where he did maintenance work on the B-17 bombers that help win the war. After the war, he graduated from St. John’s University with an accounting degree, became an enrolled agent and took a job as an auditor for Orkin. Based in Atlanta, his job required much travel. He recalled that he could park his car curbside at the airport and return a week later — there were no parking fees in those simpler days. He met the girl of his dreams, Lorraine Koury, at a Lebanese American Catholic social event in Richmond. He remained in love with her the rest of his life. They were married in 1956 and had two sons: Barrett and Stephen. After marriage, Joe took a job as an auditor in the finance department of Richmond Public Schools, from which he retired more than 30 years later. Even while at RPS, always working to support his family, he maintained his own bookkeeping and accounting practice, which he continued well after his retirement from RPS. He provided services to numerous small businesses, professional services and popular restaurants, many of which were owned by fellow Lebanese, and he was formally recognized for his years of professionalism by his fellow enrolled agents. Because he so sincerely cared about everyone he encountered, he never lacked friends. Joe delighted in the company of those from several aspects of his life, including church, work and the golf course as well as his relatives — especially 31 nieces and nephews and dozens of great and great-great nieces and nephews. They adored their uncle’s kindness, humility and interest in their lives, constantly corresponding with them, and regularly calling them. He also maintained lifelong contact with many of those childhood cousins. Joe is preceded in death by his beloved parents Barakat and Mary, and sisters, Elsie, Louise, Lillian and Lorraine. He is survived by his wife Lorraine; and sons Barrett (Heidi) and Stephen, as well as three generations of nieces and nephews from New England to Florida to California. Joe was a member of Saint Anthony Maronite Catholic Church, where he was active in several parish activities including its annual Lebanese Food Festival, and was a former member of the Knights of Columbus. The visitation is from 5:00-7:00 Friday night, followed by the Rosary at 7:00 at Bliley’s- Central, 3801 Augusta Ave. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Anthony Maronite Catholic Church on Saturday, September 26 at 11:00 a.m. Entombment Greenwood Memorial Gardens.