Anthony J. Lupo Sr.

Anthony John Lupo, 77, of Norridge, founder of Cumberland Chapels Funeral Home, passed away on March 14th, 2026. He came into the world in the fall, to brighten things before everything went all gray and lifeless. And he left us in the spring, knowing we would be ok as the days grew longer, greener and more full of hope. In typical fashion, he gave to others right until the end, allowing an enormous amount of family and friends to come together to say goodbye and comfort one another during his final days.

He is survived by his cherished and devoted wife Stephanie (Nicolosi), the chef that fed his heart and soul through nearly 50 years of marriage; his children Domenica (Michael) Iannotti and Anthony (Beth) Lupo, Jr. who can’t believe how lucky they are to have had the greatest dad in the world; his grandsons Michael and Jack Iannotti, the twin bodyguards that filled him with so much pride; his four granddaughters, Stephanie Iannotti, Charlotte, Corrina and Carmella Lupo, the jewels that brought the most dazzling sparkle to his eyes; his siblings who he adored and felt so fortunate to be a big brother to: Robert (Leslie) Lupo, Annette (Larry) Becker and Angela (Richard) Cristo; his cousin “on both sides” James (Joy) Lupo, with whom he shared an incomparable bond; his siblings in-law who he was grateful to have become part of his family: Laura Andriacchi, Joseph Nicolosi and Donna (John) Pahl.

He is also survived by countless nieces, nephews and cousins with whom he shared some of the happiest moments of his life. He leaves behind a king’s treasue of friendships, many that he maintained for over sixty years and some that he made even in his final days - all of them leaving an imprint on him that helped him grow as a man, helped him cultivate goodness and gave him boundless laughter and love. He also carried with him the lifelong lessons he learned from the aunts and uncles and dearest friends that went before him.

Tony was born during the baby boom - one foot anchored to the generation that came before him and the other stepping forward, ready to lead the generations to come. He was born in Chicago’s Taylor Street neighborhood to Dominick and Carmella (Marzullo) Lupo, parents who sacrificed endlessly for him and stopped at nothing to make sure he could walk again after he contracted polio as a child. They instilled in him the values of kindness and respect that became his trademark. They were gone too soon, leaving a void for the rest of his days.

The values he learned early in his life led him into a lifelong mission of service. Tony gave his time and effort to numerous charities and foundations over the years, organizing fundraisers and contributing to his community churches and park districts. He was proud of his involvement with Boys Town of Italy, Little City, Villa Scalabrini and Operation North Pole to name just a few. He helped found the St. Anthony Lodge, which became another outlet for charity and friendship over the decades.

He was a true entrepreneur with a strong work ethic - whether he was selling fruit from a truck as a teen, scooping ice cream at his parlor, Taylor Sweet, or prepping beef sandwiches at his stand, Loop’s. But his true calling was the funeral business. He began his career with the Salerno family and never forgot the opportunity they gave him to learn the craft that would define the next fifty-five years of his life.

No matter where he lived or how far he travelled, Tony’s true home was Norridge. He called it the best place to grow up. He promoted it, contributed to its flourishing in countless ways and reveled in its uniqueness as the “Island in the City”. And in 1985, with the crucial help of the Martino and Carbonara families, he built Cumberland Chapels, a monument to serving others in this village he loved so much that has stood for over forty years. Under this big tent, he embraced thousands of families and helped guide them through the loss of their loved ones. He knew he could never have achieved such great success without his colleagues who stood in the trenches with him these many years. They became part of his family and the time they shared was priceless to him. He was forever humbled by the trust that family after family placed in him and grasped the weight of this responsibility. This was his life’s work, and he often remarked that he was so lucky to get to do something he loved.

When God made Anthony Lupo he used all the best tools in his kit. His passing is heartbreaking, but he leaves behind a light that can never be extinguished. He was a one-off, a pillar, a hall of famer - a man who understood that the true riches of life come from the giving and receiving of love.

Please join us in celebrating Tony’s life at his home base Cumberland Chapels, 8300 W. Lawrence Ave. in Norridge. Visitation will take place on Wednesday March 18th from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. We will gather at the funeral home on Thursday March 19th at 9:30 a.m. and proceed to St. Eugene for the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.

In his memory, share a double dog with a pal, call someone you care about and ask how they’re doing or simply move through the world with as much kindness as you can.

If you choose to do so, please donate in honor of Tony to any of the following charities:

-American Diabetes Foundation

-Operation North Pole

-Schaaf-Yang Syndrome

-Epilepsy Foundation

-Wings