Anthony Joseph (Tony) Urban

Anthony Joseph (Tony) Urban, age 89, of Getzville, NY, and Venice, FL, died suddenly but peacefully on February 16, 2018, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, as the result of a brain aneurysm. Born March 24, 1928, in Buffalo, NY, he was the son of the late Louis and Harriet (Jendrasiak) Urbanczyk and the devoted husband of Bettie Jane (Kowal) Urban for nearly 64 years. After high school, Tony enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. After being honorably discharged he attended Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, on the G.I. Bill and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Math and Physics. Before settling down to start a family, Tony was the nickel beer champion at Patty Shue’s, a tavern on the East side of Buffalo. Tony began a 40-year career with Lawless Container Corporation in North Tonawanda as a salesman, later became a sales manager, and ultimately was among a group of fellow officers and employees who purchased the company from its founders. The corporation was acquired by Chesapeake Corporation in 1994 and Tony continued to serve in an executive position until his retirement. For many of the early years of his career he also worked part-time selling men’s clothing at H. Seeberg, Inc. For 45 years, Tony and Bettie lived on Dale Drive in Tonawanda where they raised their six children, before moving to Getzville. He was a long-time parishioner of St. Edmund’s Church, where he also served as a Eucharistic Minister. He was a life-long Buffalo Bills fan, an avid fisherman for many years, a flea market aficionado, and a skilled handyman. However, what he truly cherished was spending time with his large family and many friends. Since his retirement, Tony and his wife have spent most of their winters in Venice, FL, where they own a unit in the Imperial House Condominium and have made many good friends. He will forever be remembered as a strong, good-natured man with a big and loving heart. He was a true selfless caregiver who was always on the look-out for ways to help others. He will be dearly missed. Tony is survived by his three sons, James Urbanczyk and his wife Deb Heil, Michael Urban and his wife Debby, David Urbanczyk and his wife Lauren Mamantov; and three daughters, Sally Urbanczyk and her husband Joe Coppom, Betsy Trice and her husband Hap, and Kristin Larney and her husband Tim; grandchildren Amanda, Emily, Matthew, Hannah, Jackson, Tony, Zoya and Andrey; great grandson Aarav; sister-in-law Joan Urbanczyk; nephews Stephen and Peter Urbanczyk; nieces Ann Baldwin and Jane Love; and a number of dear, treasured cousins. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Louis T. Urbanczyk and his sister Angelyn Lewis. Family and friends will be received at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, FL, on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at 1:00 pm for a Funeral Mass. Interment will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, in Kenmore, NY, at a later date. The family will also hold a Memorial Service in the Buffalo area this spring.

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Anthony Joseph (Tony) Urban

March 24, 1928 - February 16, 2018