John Joey Joeseph Tarasiewicz, Jr.

John Joey Joseph Tarasiewicz, Jr., 51, of Sulphur died on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 in a car accident in Baton Rouge.

Joey was born on October 3, 1960 in Lake Charles to John Joseph "Yash" and Anita Tarasiewicz. He was a 1978 graduate of LaGrange High School and a 1982 of McNeese State University.

After graduation from McNeese he worked for Calcasieu Parish Health Unit for several years. He then worked for Conoco Phillips for 19 years. At the time of his death he was an environmental consultant for Safety Management Systems.

He enjoyed being outdoors in his spare time. Some of his hobbies included golfing, fishing, and hunting. He especially loved spending time with his family, planning family vacations, as well as traveling with his job. In his earlier years, he was involved in SLC Little League Baseball and later, American Legion Baseball. Mr. Tarasiewicz was a member of University United Methodist Church where he belonged to the MYF groups and attended many mission trips. He also achieved the honor of becoming an Eagle Scout.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 26 years, Melissa Smith Tarasiewicz; his children, John Joseph Tarasiewicz, III and Lauren Elizabeth Tarasiewicz all of Sulphur; his siblings, Ellice Tarasiewicz Allen and husband Warren of Lake Charles; David Tarasiewicz and wife Pam Walker of Sulphur; mother, Anita Sigler Tarasiewicz of Lake Charles; sister-in-law, Vicki Smith Holder and husband Steve of Sulphur; father-in-law, Winslow Smith of Sulphur; uncles, John Whiting of Crowley and Edmuth and wife Carolyn Sigler of Lake Charles; aunt, Glenda Sigler Hagan of Dry Creek; nieces and nephews, Ashley Allen and Wesley Hughes of Sulphur, Brett and Clayton Allen both of Lake Charles, Ashleigh Holder Schnixeder, Jason Holder, Chad Courville, Tara LaFargue and Dooley Prince all of Sulphur, and Carla LaFargue and Jared Gremillion of Arizona.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Joseph "Yash" Tarasiewicz, Sr.; his paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Teofil Tarasiewicz and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Edmuth Paul Sigler; and his mother-in-law, Suzanne Whiting Smith.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the University United Methodist Church. Reverend Charlie Langford will officiate. Burial will follow in Prien Memorial Park. Visitation will be at Johnson Funeral Home on Friday from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM and continue on Saturday at the church from 9:00 AM until the start of the service.