[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 19 (Tuesday, February 2, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E92]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN MEMORY OF BARBARA ANSELMO CHIFICI

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 2, 2021

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I would like to include 
in the Record the following obituary for Barbara Anselmo Chifici.

                        Barbara Anselmo Chifici

       Barbara ``Mrs. Barbara'' Anselmo Chifici, age 77, passed 
     away unexpectedly on January 23, 2021 due to complications 
     from Coronavirus at Ochsner Medical Center Kenner. A lifelong 
     resident of New Orleans, Barbara attended grammar school at 
     St. Rita Catholic School in New Orleans and graduated from 
     Academy of the Holy Angels. She also studied at Meadows-
     Draughon Business College, Louisiana State University, Loyola 
     University, and the University of New Orleans. Barbara was 
     the owner and matriarch of the independent family-owned 
     restaurant group Deanie's Seafood restaurants. Barbara came 
     from a large extended Italian family of restaurateurs, where 
     she learned the rigorous demands of running and owning family 
     restaurants. Barbara was awarded an American Culinary 
     Federation New Orleans' Outstanding Foodservice Professional 
     Award in 2013, and had been sought to judge culinary 
     competitions throughout the country during her career. She 
     remained a fixture at the restaurants until the Coronavirus 
     pandemic began last spring. Barbara was an inspiration to 
     generations of culinarians and hospitality workers. As a 
     widowed mother of seven children, she created a rich life for 
     herself and her family around food, faith and community. Her 
     achievements as a woman entrepreneur reached well beyond the 
     expectations of her generation. She instilled a genuine sense 
     of hospitality, quality, family and pride into everything she 
     did with motherly poise and a steely determination that 
     launched and sustained a New Orleans seafood restaurant 
     institution for almost 40 years. Barbara married her late 
     husband Frank Chifici in 1963, and the couple operated a 
     catering business out of their home and later two 
     restaurants, Chifici's Restaurant in the Central Business 
     District and Gromboli's in Metairie, before purchasing 
     Deanie's Seafood Restaurant & Seafood Market in Bucktown in 
     1982. She was widowed in 1985 after Frank passed away 
     following an 18-month illness. The Chifici family celebrated 
     38 years as owners and operators of Deanie's Seafood in April 
     2020. Known for serving up overflowing fried seafood platters 
     and boiled Louisiana seafood, Deanie's became a local 
     favorite that garnered national attention. The restaurant was 
     recognized year after year among New Orleans' best seafood 
     restaurants and featured on numerous Travel Channel and Food 
     Network programs. In 2001, she opened the second Deanie's 
     Seafood restaurant located at the corner of Iberville and 
     Dauphine streets in the French Quarter. Deanie's Sea Food 
     Kitchen, located at 2200 Magazine St. in Uptown New Orleans, 
     opened in 2018. In her later years, as her adult children 
     involved the day-to-day management of the restaurants, she 
     sought ways to champion the values and people she loved. 
     Barbara created Pinchapalooza in 2009, an outdoor crawfish 
     and music festival at Deanie's in Bucktown benefiting local 
     charities that was celebrated for 10 years. She had a large 
     holiday display at her home that later was showcased in 
     windows of the former D.H. Holmes Department Store Annex that 
     housed her French Quarter restaurant, where she also 
     introduced an annual Santa's breakfast and holiday sing-along 
     series offered from 2013 through 2019. She enjoyed travel, 
     dining, cruises, cooking and had season tickets for the New 
     Orleans Saints and local theater. Barbara also had a 
     successful real estate business for over 40 years. She was 
     past president and a longtime member of the Elenian Club of 
     New Orleans, a philanthropic group of women of italian 
     descent. She served in numerous officer positions for the St. 
     Mary Magdalen Mothers' Club and the Archbishop Rummel High 
     School Parents' Club, including vice president. Barbara was 
     preceded in death by her parents Olga Eve Cazes Anselmo and 
     Vincent Anselmo, and her loving husband, Frank Angelo 
     Chifici. She is survived by her brothers Robert Vincent 
     Anselmo (Marlee Early Anselmo) and Dale Anthony Anselmo, her 
     sister in law Virginia Chifici Tedesco and seven children, 
     Mark David Chifici (Joan Dardis Chifici), Darren Frank 
     Chifici (Chasidy Fonseca), Eric John Chifici (Christina Haley 
     Chifici), Keith Vincent Chifici (Renee Gascon Chifici), 
     Garrett Paul Chifici (Candice Schloegel Chifici), Chandra Eve 
     Chifici-Scarber (Richard Scarber) and Candace Ann Chifici 
     (Douglas Farrington). She also adored her 12 grandchildren: 
     Dillon, Erica, Alaina, Olivia, Nicholas, Therese, Sophia, 
     Vito, Vincent, Dominic, Vivienne and Giovanni along with a 
     huge extended family who admired her dedication and 
     hospitality to everyone she encountered. Relatives and 
     friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at St. 
     Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 105 Bonnabel Blvd., 
     Metairie, LA 70005, on Friday, January 29, 2021 at 1:00 pm. 
     Reception will follow at the Msgr. Melancon Center. 
     Visitation will be Friday at 10:00 am. A private service will 
     be held for her interment in Lake Lawn Park. In lieu of usual 
     remembrances, donations may be made to Angels' Place of New 
     Orleans, 4323 Division St., Suite 206, Metairie, LA 70002 and 
     Ronald McDonald House, 4403 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70119. 
     The Mass will be live streamed on Youtube. Details are 
     available at www.scschurch.com and will be posted to Deanie's 
     Facebook page.

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