SLS 12RS-5489 ORIGINAL
Page 1 of 3
Regular Session, 2012
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 148
BY SENATOR HEITMEIER AND REPRESENTATIVE SIMON
CONDOLENCES. Expresses sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the death of Peter J.
Calamari III, former deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals,
office of behavioral health.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To express sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the death of Peter J. Calamari III, former2
deputy assistant to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and3
Hospitals, office of behavioral health in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.4
WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the members of the5
Legislature of Louisiana learned of the death of Peter J. Calamari III on Saturday, April 28,6
2012, at the age of seventy years; and7
WHEREAS, on August 2, 1941, Peter Calamari was born in New Orleans to Ruby8
Ann and Peter J. Calamari Jr.; and9
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari attended and graduated from Holy Cross High School in10
New Orleans; and11
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari later graduated from the University of Notre Dame near12
South Bend, Indiana, where he went on to graduate from Notre Dame Seminary; and13
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari was ordained a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of14
New Orleans and served in various church parishes from 1968 until 1981; and15
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari continued his dedication to others outside the workings16
of the Catholic Church, by founding and developing the Discovery Early Childhood17
Development Program in 1984, to provide high quality early childhood experiences for18 SCR NO. 148
SLS 12RS-5489 ORIGINAL
Page 2 of 3
young children, and remaining active in the program until 2004; and1
WHEREAS, at the same time, Mr. Calamari embarked on his thirty year civil service2
career with Louisiana's office for citizens with developmental disabilities, first at the3
Metropolitan Developmental Center in Belle Chasse, then as administrator of the Hammond4
Developmental Center, as the deputy assistant secretary for the office of citizens with5
developmental disabilities, and as the deputy assistant secretary for the office of behavioral6
health; and7
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari had a passion for helping all people, but the most8
vulnerable in society were those he remembered first; and9
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari's work and personal sacrifices impacted positively the10
lives of so many in Louisiana and he brought his talents to help in the consolidation of the11
state offices of addictive disorders and mental health into the newly created office of12
behavioral health; and13
WHEREAS, in his role as deputy assistant secretary of the office of behavioral14
health, he helped an historic transformation in behavioral health care currently being15
implemented around the state; and16
WHEREAS, in recognition of his thirty years of unselfish service to the citizens of17
Louisiana, in 2011, Mr. Calamari was nominated for and received the Charles E. Dunbar Jr.18
Career Service Award; and19
WHEREAS, those who nominated Mr. Calamari for the career service award stated:20
"There are dreamers and doers, but Mr. Calamari has demonstrated that he is one of the few21
exceptional people who embraces both of these roles. He is a visionary with a meticulous22
plan tucked firmly under his arm"; and23
WHEREAS, in addition to his many professional achievements, Mr. Calamari was24
a devoted family man and a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather; and25
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari is survived by his beloved wife, Catherine Ann Sage26
Calamari, and the mother of Gloria, James, Bruce, June, Karen, and Gregg, his fifteen27
grandchildren, and his nine great-grandchildren, by whom he was greatly loved and will be28
sorely missed; and29
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari was also survived by his brothers Michael P. Calamari30 SCR NO. 148
SLS 12RS-5489 ORIGINAL
Page 3 of 3
and Paul D. Calamari, nephews Michael P. Calamari Jr. and Peter J. Calamari IV, nieces1
Suzanne C. Ledet, Katherine C. Cobb, and Victoria C. Lombard, as well as six great nieces2
and nephews; and3
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari will be profoundly missed among his peers for his4
remarkable leadership, his brilliant intellect, and all of the incomparable talents that he lent5
in service to his fellow citizens of Louisiana; and6
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari's loyalty and dedication to his profession and his co-7
workers were inspiring and unwavering; and8
WHEREAS, Mr. Calamari represented all that is good about Louisiana and its people9
as a man with unique gifts and a charitable spirit who shared his abilities with his family, his10
community, his friends, and his state, and he will be sorely missed but will never be11
forgotten by all whose lives he touched.12
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby13
express sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the death of Peter J. Calamari III, former14
deputy assistant to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, office15
of behavioral health in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.16
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Mrs.17
Catherine Ann Sage Calamari.18
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
Heitmeier SCR No.
Expresses sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the death of Peter J. Calamari III, former
deputy assistant to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, office
of behavioral health in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.