A Mass of Christian Burial for Anthony "Tony" Joseph Piemonte, 93, of Newark, will be held at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 10:30 A.M., Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, with Fr. David Sizemore as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery with military honors provided by the Licking County Veterans Alliance.

Tony died at Altercare Newark South, surrounded by the love of his family, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.

Born in Johnstown, Pa., on Nov. 8, 1928, to Filippo and Nicolina (Costa) Piemonte, Tony inherited a strong work ethic from his father, a Sicilian immigrant whose typical workday included working in a steel mill and growing acres of vegetables to sell to local markets. With a nudge from his father, Tony began his work career at age 7, serving as cobbler's apprentice, and learning a trade that he would take up again many years later.

A veteran of WWII, Tony enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17, serving out of several bases along the East Coast and in Guantanamo, Cuba. As a crew member of the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea, he served as part of the naval taskforce assigned to Operation Highjump, the postwar expedition to the Antarctic region organized by Rear Admiral Richard Byrd.

Back in Johnstown, Tony met the love of his life, Mary Angelina Mehok, on July 4, 1951. The couple eloped and wed on Thanksgiving of that year. As a married man, Tony turned to a sales career. Over the next 10 years, his move into clothing store management took him and his growing family first to Cincinnati in 1962, and then to Newark in 1965, where he managed the old United Discount clothing store downtown.

Over the years, he focused his sales skills on a range of other products and services before finally returning to his roots as a shoe repairman. After filling in at several shops around town, he purchased Interurban Shoe Repair on the square, and operated it for a number of years as Anthony's Shoe Repair. After selling that business, Tony continued to work into his early 80s, clerking at a local discount center.

Tony was a devoted parishioner of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church and longtime member of the American Legion and the Sons of Italy Rinascimento Lodge.

A caring, dedicated and loving family man, Tony will be greatly missed by his wife of 70 years, Mary Angelina (Mehok) Piemonte; sons Philip (Mary Kay) Piemonte and Anthony (Sheri Baker) Piemonte; daughter-in-law Cheryl Piemonte; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Carole Piemonte, and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Tony was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Deborah; son, John Piemonte; and siblings, Mary, Peter and Michael.

Friends and family may call at the REED-EGAN FUNERAL HOME, 141 Green Wave Drive, Newark, 4-6 P.M., Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, with a Sons of Italy service held at 5:30 P.M., followed by a Vigil Service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Tony's name be made to Hospice of Central Ohio, 2269 Cherry Valley Road, Newark, Ohio 43055.

To share your memory of Tony or leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.reedegan.com.