Francis John Lagatta

Francis John LaGatta, 83, of Westover, passed away Friday, August 7, 2015 at Monongalia General Hospital of Morgantown, WV. Mr. LaGatta was born in Rock Forge on February 21, 1932, the son of the late Ralph LaGatta and the late Carmela (Deprospero) LaGatta. He is also preceded in death by his beloved wife of 54 years, Emilou LaGatta, who passed away in 2011. Mr. LaGatta was a graduate of St. Francis High School and a lifelong member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean Conflict and worked with his father at Ralph’s Beer Distributor until 1965. He later worked for the Mountaineer Busline, sold insurance for Guardian Life Insurance, worked for the Bureau of Prison, Mon County Jail, and was a Security Court Officer. In his free time, he worked with the Mon County Special Olympics, Stepping Stones, Democratic Executive Committee, was the Vice President of the PACE Association, and was a Board of Directors on PACE Enterprises. He is survived by his children, Carmela Weber and her husband Dr. Charles A. Weber of Ohio, Ralph LaGatta of Morgantown, and Michael LaGatta of Morgantown; sister, Cecilia Palmer of Morgantown; grandchildren, Charles “C.J.” Weber, II and his future wife Suzanne, Laura Bruzelius and her husband Tim, and Amy Eze and her husband James; great grandchildren, Tristan Weber, McKenna Bruzelius, and soon to be Baby Bruzelius; sisters in law, Susan Smith and Sandra Haymaker; and several nieces and nephews. Friends and family will be received on Tuesday, August 11, 2015, at St Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 1 Guthrie Ln., Morgantown, from 4 – 8 pm. A Scriptural Wake service will be held at 7:30 pm to conclude the evening. Visiting will continue again on Wednesday, August 12, 2015, from 10 am until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am, with Msgr. Anthony Cincinnati, STD, VE as celebrant. Interment will follow at Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens in Westover. Full military funeral rites will be provided at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Francis’s memory to the Monongalia Special Olympics, 400 Mylan Park Lane, Morgantown, WV 26501. Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com