Tony Tomassoni, 95, of Warren, PA, passed away on Saturday, August 21, 2021, with his family by his side, at Kinzua Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Warren, PA.
Born on September 23, 1925, in Warren, PA, he was the son of the late Tomaso and Victoria F. Brindis Tomassoni. Tony resided his entire life in Warren. Along with his wife he was owner and operator of Tomassoni and Sons Nursery for 50 years, retiring in 1987. He had served as a councilman for the city of Warren for 20 years during which time he was instrumental in the acquisition of the Transit Authority Buses and raised money for the installation of lights at Clifford Betts Field. He was a member of Holy Redeemer R.C. Church and a former member of St. Joseph R.C. Church. Tony had served both churches as an usher since 1946. He was a member of and contributed greatly to many community, civic, and service organizations, including the Warren YMCA Board of Directors, Sons of Italy, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Elks Club, Moose Club, and Exchange Club. Tony was an avid card player and enjoyed playing poker with the Wednesday night group. He directly assisted Charlie Musante in the establishment of the Warren Hot Stove League. He was a coach for 38 years in the Hot Stove League and the Gray Y League. He had served as a basketball referee at numerous schools for 37 years. Tony was one of the founders and inducted members of the Warren Sports Hall of Fame, of which he was a board member. He had served in the Merchant Marines and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Tony is survived by his wife of 76 years, Alice M. Burdick Tomassoni, whom he married on May 31, 1945; 2 sons – Thomas Tomassoni and companion, Esther Hilliard, and Daniel Tomassoni and his wife, Nancy, all of Warren, PA;
2 daughters – Donna Tomassoni and Toni Marie Barnes, both of Warren, PA; 1 brother – Nicholas S. Tomassoni of Warren, PA; 4 grandchildren – Joe Tomassoni, Rodney Tomassoni, Aaron Brew, and Brandi Tomassoni; 10 great-grandchildren – Lydia, Sara, Maddie, Kalli, Gracie, Mya, Anthony, Ellie, Gianna, and Jake Tomassoni; 1 great-great-granddaughter, Adalyn Chase; granddaughter-in-law, Jill Tomassoni; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Tony was preceded in death by 2 brothers – Nick Tomassoni, who died in 1929, and Charles Tomasone; 4 sisters – Rose Tomassoni, Anna Jean McNitt, Mary Weidner, and Frances Baczkowski; and 2 grandsons – Tommy Tomassoni, Jr., and Michael Tomassoni; 1 granddaughter – Ann Marie Tomassoni; 1 great-granddaughter – Katherine Tomassoni; and Son-in-law – Russell Barnes.
Friends may call from 6-8pm on Monday, August 23, 2021, at the Donald E. Lewis Funeral Home, Inc., 304 East St., Warren, PA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, at Holy Redeemer Church, 11 Russell Street, Warren, PA, with Fr. Raymond Gramata, Pastor of St. Bernard Church, Bradford, PA, officiating. Military honors will be conducted by U.S. Navy personnel. Interment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Those wishing to place a memorial may do so to the Warren YMCA, 212 Lexington Ave., Warren, PA 16365. E-mail condolences may be sent by visiting www.lewisfuneralhomeinc.com.
goodbye faithful & ardent servant, from all of us who learned to help others from your altruistic manner & actions. loved by so many, Good bye father
We are sadden by the loss of a fine friend. Tony was a friend of the Manfrey and Steinkamp family for many, many years. He always liked to joke with us an I believe Tony showed respect to us all,and when a member of our family passed, Tony always paid respect. It was a real pleasure to have Tony as a friend. Rest in peace, you labored hard God Bless our friend.
Tony was just like … the statue of General Warren in the park: Always there. I remember him traveling on the football bus in the 1950s to away football games, just to work the chains on the sidelines and be a part of the football season. I remember him refereeing — and “educating” me when I was a young sports writer. I remember buying garden plants from him to feed our family. I remember him at Warren council meetings, injecting levity by asking when the then-borough would put “fish and chips” on some streets. I remember him telling me I was “full of it” about some newspaper articles I wrote — and on occasion, he was right. I remember seeing him at church a lot and always at funerals. We did not always see things the same way, but Tony was a what-you-see-is-what-you-get guy. He was not afraid to speak truth to power. I admired him for that. My sympathies to his family and friends.
Tomassoni family, please accept my condolences on the loss of your beloved family member Tony. He was an icon in the Warren community and will be missed.
Jim Suppa
Edinboro
To the Tomassoni Family,
I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Tony. I will not be able to attend the services, but I wanted you to know how much I enjoyed talking with Tony whenever I saw him. He was so personable and always made himself available for a chat. I had great respect for Tony, and he will be missed. May he rest in peace and may God provide comfort for his family.
To the entire Tomassoni family. Please accept my sincere condolences on your loss. Tony was a pillar in the Warren community and involved in many activities and sporting events. He will surely be missed.
So sorry for your loss
I’m sorry for your loss. He was a great neighbor and friend.
Our condolences to the Tomassoni Family. I grew up across the street from the Tomassoni Family. Over the years, I became friends with the family especially Danny and Tommy. Tony became a father figure for many of the eastsiders. His involvement with the Hot Stove Baseball League created a bond with many of us. Whether he was signing players up or coaching teams, he was there for us. I still remember the end of year baseball team picnics. He would have hot dogs, pop, watermelon and awards for us. There also was one year when Alice coached our team because there were no volunteers. Thanks for that Alice. I believe there were two dogs during our friendship, a boxer and Saint Bernard, Muggsy. As we aged, Tony also provided part time work in his landscaping business. Tony was one of kind and I feel honored to have known him.