Rocco Binaggia, 64, of Fannett, died Saturday, May 28, 2011, at Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas in Beaumont. Born in Beaumont, on May 30, 1946, to an Italian immigrant father who had come to this country seeking a better life than the one he had in the country he had left behind. His father met and married an Italian lady and they had two children, Rocco and one sister, Lena. Life was not easy and both children were placed in foster care. When Rocco was about eight years old, he was taken into the home of Rube and Gwendolyn Wingate, who loved, nurtured and treated him as their own. They represented stability in his life. Many years later he built his own home just across the way from the old Wingate home.
Rocco lived at a time when the Vietnam War was raging. There were marches and sit in demonstrating objections to that war and all that it stood for. He saw all that discord, and his response was quiet but deliberate. He simply went down to the Draft Board and joined the Marine Corps. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam, including the Battle of Da Nang. He fought for freedom for those people, rather than enslavement.
When he came home, it was not with bitterness and unhappiness at what he had seen and what he had seen others do; it was with a determination to get on with his life- and he did. Rocco found work with Gold Crest Electric in Beaumont, a company that he was associated with for over forty years. He both respected and admired the owners of that company and looked upon them as family. He gave them the very best that he had to give. He was always there, always on time, and he always, always did just a little bit more that was required of him.
One of his passions was getting astride his big motorcycle and riding, letting the wind blow in his face. He enjoyed the wide outdoors and the nature that was all around him.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy; good friend, Mickey Lewis, who shared good times as well as the not so good times. A friend always! And friends who will remember sharing their lives with a good and decent man.
He is preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Lena.
His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 1, 2011, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, with burial to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 4955 Pine Street
Memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 32256.
