Wallingford Funeral Home
Anthony Joseph Antonelli, 87, of Wallingford, passed peacefully January 10, 2021 at Veteran's Administration Medical Center in West Haven after a courageous battle with ALS. He was the beloved husband of the late Sandra Lee (Guisler) Antonelli for 58 years. "Tony" was born in New Haven on May 12, 1933, a son of the late Silvio and Mary (DeNegre) Antonelli. After graduating from Wilbur Cross High School, Anthony joined the US Army where he served as a cook. Anthony went on to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the Teachers College of Connecticut. It was there that he recognized his passion for drafting, construction and shopwork. He furthered his education by receiving a Master's Degree from Central Connecticut State College and 6th Year at Southern Connecticut State College. Anthony began his teaching career with the East Haven and Norwalk Public Schools. He then spent the next 31 years as a drafting, metal shop and woodworking teacher with the North Haven school district, as well as teaching Driver's Education to numerous North Haven High School students. Anthony also taught at Gateway Community College for 10 years, and for local Adult Education programs. In his spare time, Anthony always had a list of projects that he was either designing or building. He most often used these skills to help his friends, family, and the community. If he wasn't working in the shop, Anthony enjoyed cooking and baking his signature creations to share with others, as well as volunteering at the St. Thomas Moore soup kitchen. Anthony was a hard worker, had a great sense of humor, loved to tell stories, and was a loyal friend. Above all, Anthony loved his family and cherished the time that he spent with them. He is survived by his daughters, Mary Beth Massaro and her husband, Robert, of Hamden, and Pamela Grazioso and her husband, Mark, of Wallingford; his sons, David Antonelli and his wife, Angela, of Canton, and Brian Antonelli and his wife, Amanda, of Melrose, MA; his daughter-in-law, Virginia Antonelli of Killingworth; his grandchildren, Eric Grazioso, R.J. Massaro, Lauren Antonelli, Christopher Grazioso, Matthew Massaro, Maggie Grazioso, Elizabeth Antonelli, Catherine Antonelli, and Jacob Antonelli; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his son, Christopher Antonelli; his brothers, Fred, Francis, Jerome, and Joseph; his sister, Lucy Antonelli; and his nephew, Joseph Antonelli, Jr. His family will receive relatives and friends at The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 N. Main St. Ext., Thursday, January 14, 2021 from 5 pm until 7 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday at 11 am directly at Church of the Resurrection, 115 Pond Hill Rd., Wallingford, where he was a longtime parishioner. You can view his funeral Mass via livestream by visiting his webpage at 11 am on Friday located at www.wallingfordfh.com. Interment will be at St. John Cemetery in Wallingford. Social distancing and COVID-19 precautions are required to be followed at the funeral home, church and cemetery. Gifts in his memory can be made to the Golden Age Air Museum, 371 Airport Rd., Bethel, PA 19507. Anthony recently donated to the museum a vintage WWI rotary aircraft engine that had belonged to his father, an aviator. Contributions in Anthony's name will support WWI fighter collection projects at the museum. www.wallingfordfh.com
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