About Me
Surnames
Abstracts
Marriage Lookups
Ahnentafel
Credits
Cooking
Guest Book
Family Photos
Portraits
Awards

[ Home ] [ Ahnentafel ]

JOSEPH "JOE" HICKMAN OSTER August 15, 1999

Joseph was born May 11, 1926 in Harvey, Louisiana, the son of Earl Aloysius Oster, Sr. and Cybble Joyce Hickman.   He was named for his uncle Joseph Paten Hickman.  He was the last of five children. His siblings are Earl Aloysius Jr., Daniel Angus, Helen, and Nelda Mary.

Joseph attended public school in Marrero, Louisiana.  He eventually obtained his Equivalency diploma in 1962 from West Jefferson High School in Harvey, Louisiana. He was originally employed with Noble Drilling Company in Harvey as a roughneck in 1943.

Joseph enlisted 13 May 1943 in the United States Navy Seabees. He served basic training at Camp Peary in Magruder, Virginia where he was assigned to the 100th Naval Construction Battallion for duty. A few months later, he was transferred to the 8th Naval Construction Battallion. He participated in the invasion and occupation of the Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands earning the Asiatic Pacific Area Service Ribbon with one engagement star.

In the Spring of 1945 he served on Iwo Jima where he saw enemy action and earned a commendation and an operation star on the Asiatic Pacific Area Service Ribbon. Joseph returned from the Pacific 13 September 1945 and was transferred to the United States Naval Personnel Separation Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on 5 January 1946. He was Honorably Discharged 16 January 1946.

He and Henrietta Marie Galliano were married soon after his return from the Pacific. Justice of the Peace John Scioneaux married the two on 2 November 1945 in Harvey, Louisiana. Present at the wedding were Earl Aloysius Oster, Jr. and Thelma Parr, sister-in-law, and Bud Paul Galliano and Clementine Clara Lasseigne, Henrietta's brother and sister-in-law. His parents, Earl Aloysius Oster, Sr. and Cybble Joyce Hickman were also present for the wedding.

They lived for a short while in Harvey, Louisiana before settling in their new home in Marrero, Louisiana. Joseph and Henrietta had two children Karen Marie born 20 December 1946 and Brian Joseph born 27 August 1952.

For most of his life, Joe worked for  Chevron USA (originally Standard Oil Company of California).  He retired after 40 years as Transportation Supervisor for the Eastern Seaboard.  For years, he was responsible for all transportation along the Gulf of Mexico.  That meant once a hurricane entered the Gulf, he had to evacuate all personnel.  He was always last one out of Venice, Louisiana and the first one back.

Joe was always great at handyman chores around the house.  Everything from electrical work (learned from his father) to carpentry work (learned in the service).  He and Henrietta always had a project going.  Once his children grew up and started their own homes, he helped them with their own home projects.

Joseph died June 12, 1992 in Marrero, Louisiana. He was preceded in death by his parents Earl and Cybble and by his siblings Earl, Daniel, and Nelda.  His brother Daniel died exactly twelve years earlier, both at about the same time of day, both on Father's Day.