Lou Pierotti

Lou Pierotti, a long-time resident and Living Treasure of Los Alamos, has died. Lou will be remembered as a man of character, loving husband and father, prominent local businessman, coach and mentor of young people and for his athletic accomplishments. He is especially renowned for the creation of the Pierotti’s Clowns 5-man softball team, a Los Alamos institution since 1953. Lou, age 94, passed away quietly on March 21, 2015, surrounded by his loving children. Born Luigi Gustavo Pierotti on June 7, 1920, in a rural community near Walsenburg, CO. Lou was orphaned by the age of six due to the early death of his Italian immigrant parents, Pietro Pierotti and Angelina Lami. He was the youngest of six children, and was raised by his older brothers and sisters. Lou enlisted in the Army in 1942 and completed his basic training at Camp Cook, Lompoc, CA. He transferred to the Army Air Corps as a sergeant first stationed at Lowry Air Base in Denver, CO and then in Panama until his discharge as a staff sergeant at the end of World War II. In 1944, while still in the service, Lou married Lee Ruffini at the Lowry Air Base. Lou and Lee moved to Los Alamos, NM, in 1951, becoming prominent merchants with the establishment of Pierotti’s Soda Bar in the Community Center until 1965 and Pierotti’s Los Alamos Flowers and Gifts on Central Avenue, until their retirement in 1985. Lou’s athletic prowess included baseball, softball, track and field, boxing, billiards, bowling, and golf. While in the service he won the mile representing the United States in an international track meet in Canada, played in the National Baseball Congress Summer Series in Omaha, NB and signed a contract to play with the Balboa Brewers in Panama but was discharged the following month. Later he was offered contacts with the St. Louis Browns and the Brooklyn Dodgers. As the contracts in those days only paid $150 per month plus expenses, he turned all of them down in favor of returning to Walsenburg to raise his family. Subsequently he participated in 3 international softball tournaments playing in a total of 10 games. Although Lou’s first love was baseball, he has been known to say that had he discovered golf before the age of 40, golf could have been his chosen sport. On the golf course, he won the Los Alamos Senior Championship 6 years in a row, set the course record of 66 for seniors and shot his age 6 times from the age of 69 to 74. Lou is most celebrated as the founder and star of the Pierotti’s Clowns, the only 5-man softball team in the nation. Lou and the other players dressed in brightly colored uniforms and dabbed their faces with greasepaint for the games. They played throughout the Southwest between 1953 and 1977, raising money for charity. With Lou as the ring leader the team’s antics were legendary, from having the team field with trash can lids instead of gloves to Lou pulling all the fielders out of their positions into an impromptu dice game next to the pitcher’s mound, leaving only the pitcher, catcher and an 8 year old first baseman to finish the inning. Despite the clowning all the games were played by the rules and the team won 90% of their games against regular 9-man teams, including three games against the Albuquerque Dukes (now the Isotopes) winning one and tying twice. Sponsored by the Los Alamos Kiwanis International, the Clowns raised over $200,000 for charity (more than $2,000,000 in today’s dollars) selling tickets for as little as 25 cents. The Clowns were literally the “Goodwill Ambassadors of Los Alamos.” Lou would often say “If the Clown’s had played to make money—and we had many offers to go pro—we would have probably been in lots of trouble. But we’ve never had so much as a flat tire and I think playing for charity had God looking out for us.” Lou loved Los Alamos. He was proud to serve with other community and laboratory leaders on the Board of Directors for the Bank of Los Alamos, Mountain Community Bank, the Los Alamos Medical Center, Sombrillo Nursing Center, and Aspen Ridge Assisted Living. He was the first honorary life member of Kiwanis International, an honorary member and director of the New Mexico Seniors Golf Association, and on the Board of Directors of the Northern New Mexico Seniors Golf Association. Lou was also a dedicated family man and devout Catholic. His care for his wife Lee until her death last year was a labor of love, and an inspiration to all who knew him. The two of them were partners in every aspect of their lives from working and playing side by side to raising their five children. One hallmark of their relationship was their love of laughter. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in June 2014. Lou is survived by his brother Steve Pierotti (98) of Walsenburg, CO; his children Michael Pierotti (wife Patricia) of Las Vegas, NV; Marilee Pierotti Lau of San Francisco, CA; Lew Pierotti (wife Ruth) of Columbus, OH; Dr. David Pierotti of Flagstaff, AZ; and Peter Pierotti (wife Dinah) of Albuquerque, NM; seven grandchildren, Lisa, Michael Jr. (wife Stephanie), Jason, Stephanie, Jessica, Philip and Caroline; two great grandchildren, Christopher and Briana; several nieces and nephews, and many family members and friends. He is predeceased by his sisters Julia Supancic and Virginia Bartalussi, his brothers Albert and Mack, and Marilee’s husband Chuck who was also Lou’s Godson. Family and friends are invited to attend a Rosary, Thursday March 26, at 7:30pm and a Funeral Mass, Friday March 27, at 10:00am, both at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos. Interment for both Lou and Lee will be at Guaje Pines on March 27, at 2:30 pm. Condolences and memories of Lou can be provided by visiting www.devargasfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Lou’s name to the Sanctuary at the Canyon’s Edge (Hospice House) 2202 Canyon Rd, Los Alamos, NM 87544. The family of Louis Pierotti has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley.\r\n

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