1933 – 2018
Colonel Dominick R. Gannon. USMC (Ret.) passed away on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at the age of 84. Dick Gannon is survived by his three children and three grandchildren: Kevin Gannon (Mei), Brian Gannon, Renee Scherlen (Allan), Kimberly Gannon, Nicholas Scherlen, and Antonia Scherlen. Dick was born in New Orleans, LA on August 18, 1933. He and his family lived in New Orleans until WWII when his family moved to Baton Rouge. There, Dick attended Catholic High School, where he played on the football team. He met his future wife, the late Carla, Schwartz Gannon, while working as a life guard in high school. He attended Tulane University as an NROTC student. When he graduated from Tulane University In 1955, he married Carla and began a 30 year career with the Marine Corps. He received a Master’s degree from George Washington University in 1971: While in the Marine Corps, Dick was a champion rifle and pistol target shooter, a veteran of service in Vietnam, a Marine Corp advisor to the Colombian government, and commanding officer of the Fifth Regiment in Camp Pendleton. After thirty years, Dick retired from the Marine Corps as a Colonel In 1985. He then worked for thirteen years for the U.S. Department of State in counterterrorism. After retiring from public service in 1998, Dick and his wife Carla returned to New Orleans. An avid reader his entire life, Dick also enjoyed supporting Tulane Athletics, the Washington Mardi Gras, and Jazz on the Bayou. A visitation will take place at Lake Lawn, on Thursday, July 26. 2018 beginning at 4:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, July 27, 2018 at 9:00 AM at St. Rita Catholic Church, 2729 Lowerline Street in New Orleans. Interment will follow at the Southeast Veterans Cemetery in Slidell. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to New Orleans Public library. To view and sign the family guestbook please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.