Anthony "TONY" Caltagirone

Tony Caltagirone was born on June 10, 1928, to Italian immigrants Michaelangelo and Lena Caltagirone in a small house across the street from the hospital in the Italian section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soon after, the family moved to Jamestown, New York, where Tony attended elementary school. The family then moved to the Youngstown, Ohio area, by the train tracks in Lowellville and then Struthers, Ohio.

After graduating high school in Youngstown, Tony went on to attend Ohio Northern University, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and received a degree in Biology. He then attended Ohio State University, where he completed postgraduate work and earned his certification as a medical laboratory technician. 

And then it was on to the Army, where Tony earned the rank of Corporal. He served as a laboratory technician during the Korean War and was stationed at Brooke Army Medical Center outside San Antonio, Texas.

After discharge, Tony returned to Ohio; but he quickly realized that the winters and all that snow shoveling were not to his liking. He packed up the car and moved to Southern California, staying with his uncle and cousins in Downey. It was there that he started his career in pharmaceutical sales at Parke-Davis. Shortly after, he took a sales position with A.H. Robins Co., where he spent the next 35 years, retiring from the eventual parent company, Pfizer.   

Tony met Bernice Meitz through a mutual friend while living in Long Beach. They married in 1965 and had two children, Michael and Nancy. The family lived in Westminster, Stanton, and finally, Santa Ana, where Tony has lived for the last 46 years. He and the family joined Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Garden Grove in the early 70s. He remained an active member of the congregation throughout his life and was recently a member of the Men’s Breakfast and Young at Heart groups.

After retirement, Tony focused on traveling. He enjoyed organized tours and often spoke of his trips to China, Scandinavia, Russia, and Eastern Europe. The friendships he made on those trips lasted decades. He also traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada, including frequent trips to Virginia, Arizona, and Texas to visit family and dear friends. It seemed like Tony was always planning a trip to see someone.

Tony will be missed by so many. The family appreciates how his church and gym communities cared for him and the many kind words and memories that have been shared with them over the last few weeks. And remember, as Tony would always say at the end of his phone calls, keep smiling.

Tony passed on July 26, 2023. He is survived by his son, Michael (Michelle), and his daughter, Nancy; his nieces, Gail, Michelle, and Kelly; and many cherished lifelong friends, including Nancy’s friend Shelley and her daughter Mia, who held a special place in his heart. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice, his sister Josephine, and his parents.

A memorial service will be held at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Garden Grove, California, on Friday, August 11, 2023, at 11 am. He will be laid to rest at Santa Ana Cemetery, Santa Ana, California. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Guide Dogs of the Desert, Palm Springs, California, or Operation Smile.

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