Anthony “Tony” John Pusateri, 87, of Ponte Vedra, Florida, passed away December 29, 2020. Tony was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 8, 1933, to Anthony and Anna Pusateri. He attended Catholic grade school, and then attended Chicago Vocational. Tony was drafted into the Army, where he served his county and made several good friends. In 1961, Tony took Sylvia Alice Fitts on a blind date to a party at a friend’s house; they were happily married on September 5, 1962.
In 1965, their first son, Anthony John Pusateri, III, was born, followed by their second son, Mark Clinton Pusateri in 1967. Tony joined the Burbank Civitan Club, were he became the President of the club. He later was the Governor of the California Civitan Club and was awarded the Civitan International Honor Pin. Tony was a Mechanical Engineer and worked at Lockheed Corp in Burbank, California, where he held two patents for the Aerospace department. He was later hired by Thomas and Betts Corp, and they transferred him to the corporate office in New Jersey in 1983. In 1989, Tony was transferred to Iowa City, Iowa. The family thoroughly enjoyed their time there, where the joined the Athletic Club and Hanchers Auditorium, to see plays and had season tickets for the Iowa Hawkeyes. In 1992, Tony began working for Ford Motor Company in Northville, Michigan, and in 1998 was transferred back to New Jersey where it all began.
Tony was later diagnosed with stage four cancer metastatic to the liver. He had one year of surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation before receiving a clean bill of health. Unfortunately, the cancer returned on and off over the next 18 years. This battled took a tremendous toll on him. Tony officially retired at the age of 72, and moved to Clermont, Florida, living in the Kings Ridge 55 and older community; he had the best neighbors and found good friends there. Sylvia and Tony’s sons decided it would be a great idea for them to move to Ponte Vedra, Florida, where their son, Mark, lived. This was a great decision and both Sylvia and Tony enjoyed their wonderful neighbors, who took such good care of them.
Tony is survived by his wife, Sylvia Alice Fitts Pusateri; sons, Anthony John and Mark Clinton; sister-in-law, Shirley Witt; two wonderful daughters-in-law, Alice and Laurie; two grandsons, Nicholas Mark and Myles Robert; and one very beautiful granddaughter, Kaitlyn Elise. He was loved so much by his family, friends, and everyone he met. Tony was a good man who will be incredibly missed.
A Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, January 7, 2021, 10:30 am at St. John Paul II Catholic Church in Nocatee. A Graveside Service will follow, 1:30 pm at Jacksonville National Cemetery with Military Honors.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donation to the American Cancer Society.
