Obituary: Chockey Richard Kassem, Football 57-60 and Coach in 1969

Chockey Richard Kassem, of Raleigh, North Carolina, died Sunday, February 9, 2025. He was 86.

Born in Kingsport, Tennessee, on October 21, 1938, where he lived until he graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School, Chockey then had a brief stint in the United States Army Reserve before earning a scholarship to play football at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette. He earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees from that school and met his wife, Rita Jo Broussard. Together, they had one son, Chad.

Chockey coached football from the early 1960s to the early 1970s before changing careers and opening a men’s clothing store in downtown Lafayette called Threads Inc. The store catered to the styles of the time. He went on to open stores throughout the 1970s in Lake Charles and New Orleans.

In 1986, Chockey moved to Raleigh and soon opened a men’s clothing store called Chockey’s. It was rated by GQ Magazine as a Top 25 store for many years.

He closed Chockey’s in 2011 after 24 years and retired when he was 73. In his retirement, he enjoyed tending to his yard and garden with his partner, Karen Ross, and watching all of the sports games he could on TV. He loved visiting with his granddaughter and keeping up with her life. He stayed in contact with his many friends and family and enjoyed going to Louisiana often to visit friends and eat crawfish.

At the end of his life, Chockey had cancer. But he was still strong and walked and talked until the end with the help of Karen and her entire family. They cared for him so that he was able to live in his own home and bed even as his health failed. He was tough to the end and never complained, still laughing and smiling.

Chockey was preceded in death by his parents Nagla Ann and Richard Kassem, his brother and sisters, Bobby Kassem, Samita Carter, and Amita Clark, and his granddaughter Jade Kassem. He is survived by his partner Karen, son Chad (wife Lydia), granddaughter Jasmine, brother Sam Kassem (wife Ann), sister-in-law Ellie Kassem, and many nieces and nephews.

Please click on www.athleticnetwork.net for more information on former Ragin’ Cajuns athletes, including all teams which represented the university for 120+ years.

Peace, Ed Dugas
athleticnetwork@louisiana.edu