Dr. Robert Brocato, 37, of Many, died Sunday, Sept. 8,2019.
He is survived by his mother Mary Beth Key Brocato of Many. He is also survived by his wife Amanda Smith Brocato of Youngsville, Louisiana. and his beloved dogs: Daisy May, Rocky, and Louie.
Also surviving Robert are his aunt Jeanette Moran of New Orleans, many cousins and friends.
Robert was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Robert Maestri Brocato; his maternal grandparents, John Adam and Flarcie Miller Key of Many; and paternal grandparents, Diamond Jim Brocato Moran and Mary Latino Brocato of New Orleans.
Robert was a graduate of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Natchitoches where he was the class valedictorian in 2000. He graduated with honors from Centenary College in Shreveport in 2004. His major was biology. He was a proud member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
Robert attended LSU Medical School in Shreveport and graduated in 2008. He completed a residency in internal medicine at LSU Hospital in Shreveport in 2012.
He returned to his hometown of Many and purchased the Rocking Arrow Ranch next to the Diamond B Ranch where he had grown up.
He then opened a family practice at his late father’s office across the street from the Sabine Medical Center.
Dr. Brocato later joined Dr. Greg Lord at the Lord Medical Clinic and Deer Creek Hospital in Leesville where they practiced together for several years.
After being offered a position at Willis Knighton, he accepted and returned to Shreveport where he worked as a hospitalist with critical care patients at Willis Knighton Hospital/Pierremont.
Dr. Brocato was known as a dedicated and skilled physician who was compassionate and cared deeply for his patients. His patients and friends also knew him for his great love of tennis shoes which he obsessively collected and wore a different pair to the hospital or clinic every day. He owned more than 200 pairs of tennis shoes.
As a young child he traveled for his seventh birthday to Paris with his parents. This visit instilled his lifelong love for travel. His favorite trips were to Colorado for skiing in the winter, to Croatia with his college friend Matija Fojs, and a return trip to France when he was a student at Centenary.
When Robert was a junior student at Centenary, he made his first trip to Africa where he and his father hunted in South Africa for several weeks. His love for Africa began at that time.
Robert traveled to Tanzania on a game watching safari with his mother in 2016. It was there, he said, that he felt most free and happy since he had been an adult. He described the trip as his “epiphany” and he made some life changing decisions about his career and his personal life.
His many friends knew Robert as a handsome and fun-loving man with a soft heart for everyone, especially animals, and a largerthan-life personality.
The public visitation will be Thursday, Sept. 12 from 6:00-8:00 at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many. His Celebration of Life service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Many. Graveside rites will follow at the Many Cemetery where he will be buried next to his maternal grandfather John Adam Key.
Robert --also known as Rob, Roberto, Bobby-- will be remembered with love by his family, his co-workers, and his many, many friends.
Pallbearers: Dr. John Bienvenu, Dr. Jeff Szot, Peter Eckel, Zack Moore, Stephen Bridges, Jeff Bridges, Jimmy Lee Moran and Nic Cardon.
Honorary Pallbearers: Jimmy Miller, Bob Miller, Karl Hardin, Tyler Moore, Jeremy Morvan, Semmes Weston, Daniel Jones, Heath Brown and Adam Chamberlin.
Donations in Robert’s memory may be made to Camp Tiger at LSU Medical School in Shreveport or Doctors Without Borders, St. Vincent De Paul Society or the Ladies Altar Society at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Many.