Anthony “Tony” Contello of Walton, died Dec. 11, 2025, after a six-month battle with pancreas and liver cancer. When it was apparent that chemotherapy was not going to cure him, he valiantly discontinued chemo in favor of spending his remaining days comfortably with family and friends, on hospice care.
He was born in Brooklyn on April 14, 1944, to Anthony and Marie Contello. He loved the fact that his birthday was the day the Titanic hit the iceberg, Lincoln was shot, and his favorite country singer Loretta Lynn was born. He graduated from Archbishop Molloy High School in 1962 and briefly attended St. John’s University in Jamaica, New York, until both he and the school administration decided that college was “not a right fit for him.”
Tony began working for New York state at various agencies, mostly the narcotics and drug addiction commission, department of corrections and safety and security at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens. He retired in 1990.
He married Jane Pfeiffer on Sept. 22, 1974, in Elmont. They lived in Selden, and moved to Walton in 1986. They were happily married for over 51 years until his death.
He is survived by Jane and their daughter Mary and her husband John Phraner and their children, son Colby and daughter Mallory, all of Walton. Also surviving are his son’s children, Gabe Contello and Natalie Contello of Bath, and his son’s fiancé, Kate Meehan of Hornell. He also leaves his brother Thomas Contello and his wife Donna of Shirley, and their son Thomas and his wife Heather.
Tony was predeceased by his parents and his son Anthony Charles, who died just four months ago on Aug. 1 of kidney and bone cancer.
Tony loved to be with family and friends, have coffee and gossip at TA’s restaurant, cracking jokes and “stirring the pot” with posts on Facebook. He was an avid seller/buyer on Ebay and never met a thrift store he did not enter.
A funeral Mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Walton at a later date, with burial in Walton Cemetery.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Courtney Funeral Home, Walton. To leave a message of peace and comfort for Tony’s family visit the online tribute at www.courtneyfh.com
