Anthony Inghilleri, known to all as Tony, passed away peacefully Aug. 13, 2024, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Born Jan. 3, 1942, to Vito and Maria Inghilleri in the small village of Partinico, Sicily, Tony moved with his family to the United States when he was 13 years old. He is the true example of achieving the American Dream – that through hard work, determination and initiative, one can achieve success and prosperity.
Tony never received a formal education. In 1969, Tony and his brother Joe built T&J Auto Body, a highly successful business in Red Bank they operated for 47 years. He was known to many in the community and auto body industry as a tireless worker, fair businessman and employer, and occasionally hot-tempered Sicilian. He had a passion for cars, especially Corvettes, and refurbished and owned many different models throughout his life.
Tony married his beloved wife Susan in 1966 and together the couple raised four daughters, Gina, Lisa, Lora and Toni in Middletown. He instilled his strong work ethic in his daughters, along with the importance of family, education and loyalty.
Tony focused on providing the best life possible for his wife and children. He enjoyed traveling with his family to the Outer Banks, Caribbean islands, on Viking river cruises, and fishing on lake vacations. He took pride in his garden, enjoyed the stock car races at Wall and kept a perfect lawn.
Tony was preceded in death by his parents, Vito And Maria, and sadly, his sister Margherita Inghilleri. He is survived by his wife Susan; his four daughters; nine grandchildren, Hannah, Emma, Olivia, Jake, Evan, Cole, Megan, Tyler and Anthony; and siblings, Anita, Joseph and Salvator.
Visitation was held Aug. 18 at the John E. Day Funeral Home in Red Bank. Funeral services were held Aug. 19 at the funeral home. For those interested, donations can be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation at parkinson.org.
Please visit Anthony’s memorial website at johnedayfuneralhome.com.
The article originally appeared in the August 22 – 28, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
