Anthony John Presto of Greenwich, CT, died surrounded by his family on April 4, 2019 at 94 years young in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Anthony (Tony and Tut to his friends) was born to Angelina and Antonio Presto on May 26, 1924. Raised in Greenwich with a strong work ethic, he became a medic in WWII, and a Greenwich policeman, known to many on Greenwich Avenue and at Manero’s.
Anthony lived in Greenwich for 80 years until his wife, Mary Gambaro Presto, died. He moved to West Palm Beach where his love of greens, games and generosity found him even more friends. Golf, bowling, card games, shopping, arcades and attending musical productions filled his days.
Music was always playing, loudly, in his home. He sang, on tune and well to his favorites – Sinatra, Como, Cline and The Four Seasons. When his children would call – Joseph Presto of Wilton, CT (wife Jennifer Wulff, children Bailey and Wolfgang), Susan Presto of Greenville, S.C. (husband Marty Mundy), AJ Presto of Bundall, Australia (wife Susan, children Oscar and Rose) and Claudia Presto of Kanab, UT – invariably they had to ask him to turn the music off.
Food and love were synonymous in an Italian household. One cabinet filled with sweets. A stand alone freezer in residence in the living room with ribs and pizza. For a man born during the depression, living in a tenement house where his fourteen siblings shared three beds, and pigeons were caught through open windows for meals, food was definitely a delight.
Anthony’s generosity and kindness to strangers knew no bounds. If you walked in his door, you walked out with something from his statue collection. His mailbox was jammed with requests for donations, all of which benefited from his largess. This proud and generous man lived his life ‘My Way’.
Sacred Heart Church in Greenwich will say a mass in his memory on Thursday, April 11 at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to GreyhoundGang.org, or the Silver Shield Association.
