It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Anthony “Tony” Mellace, who left us peacefully on January 22nd, surrounded by his loving wife of 58 years, Janice.

Tony was a devoted father to Paulette, Pamela (Luis), and Patricia (Walter), and was greatly loved by his grandchildren Jessica, Brendan, Marcus, Jordan, Jocelyn, and Julien, as well as his great-granddaughter Kendall.

Born in Gagliato, Italy, Tony immigrated to Toronto in 1952 with his parents and siblings. He met Janice in 1967, quickly marrying the love of his life and remaining united with her ever since, through life’s joys and challenges.

Tony loved dancing, traveling, and playing a good game of cards, among many other hobbies. He truly celebrated life with family and friends and was always the life of the party. Even after suffering a stroke in 2006, Tony never let aphasia or paralysis keep him from enjoying life. He found creative ways to keep his personality shining and his mobility strong with his “wheels”. His greatest frustration after the stroke was difficulty communicating — as all who knew him would agree, Tony was a man of many words before his stroke.

A hardworking Sheet Metal Mechanic with Local 30, Tony took great pride in the many infrastructures he helped build, including the CN Tower, Pearson Terminal 3, and the Oakville Ford Plant. A man of many talents, he could fix or build just about anything — from constructing the family’s home in Palgrave to renovating cottages in Wasaga and countless basements.

Tony’s greatest gifts to his family were his love, strength, perseverance, authenticity, and quiet resilience. His warrior-like spirit was an inspiration to all who knew him and his infectious smile will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory to the Heart and Stroke Foundation are deeply appreciated.