Obituary of Antonio A. Artessa

Antonio A. Artessa, 101, of Clinton, passed away Thursday, July 12, 2012 at St. Elizabeth Medical Center. He was born in Scandale, Italy on December 15, 1910 to Fortunato and Marie Greco Artessa. When he was two he immigrated to the United States with his family. He attended schools in Utica and was married to Ida Edwards at St. Agnes Church in Utica on November 16, 1940, a blessed union until her passing January 29, 2003. Tony was proud to become an American Citizen after having served alongside several of his brothers in the US Army during World War II. He earned a Purple Heart and Silver Star for bravery under fire. He retired from Griffiss Air Force Base where he received many awards for his work in developing new and innovative equipment for aircraft and radar systems. Tony was an outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing. He especially enjoyed time with family and friends at their summer home on Oneida Lake. He was an avid supporter of the Ride for Missing Children, was active at the Parkway Senior Center and won several awards as a young man for outstanding ballroom dancing. Tony and Ida were members of the Moose Club and enjoyed attending different functions there including theme nights of dancing. Later in life he would spend time with his family and friends watching NY Yankees and Syracuse Orange Basketball games. He rejoiced in his love of God, his family and his country. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Jerry Sugg of Highland, IL; his son and daughter-in-law, Anthony and Judy Artessa of Hamilton, NY; four grandchildren and their spouses, Lori and Clay Grissom, Carla and Steve Roeper, Gregory Barton and Adria Barton; six great-grandchildren, Allison and Bridget Grissom, Sara Fischer, Eric John Rheinecker, Matt Roeper and Brianna Roeper; two sisters, Betty Angerosa of Utica and Katherine Poynter of Clinton; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Morris and Pat Artessa and Joseph and Mary Artessa, all of Utica; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Ida; his five siblings, Rosie Duggleby, Angelina King, Thomas, Carmen and Frank Artessa. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10am on Friday, July 20, 2012 at St. Mary's Church, Clinton. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery. All are invited to call Thursday from 4-7pm at Owens-Pavlot & Rogers Funeral Service, Inc, 35 College St., Clinton. The family thanks the staff at St. Elizabeth Medical Center and Aspen House of the Sitrin Home for the wonderful care given to Tony. Please consider donations in Tony's memory to The Ride for Missing Children at NCMEC/MV, 934 York Street, Utica, NY 13502 or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004.