Anthony Spizzinoco

Remembering Tony ……
My mind is racing, I can’t think, I can’t concentrate, I can’t breathe. How am I going to go on without my sweet Tony… He was what we lived for.
We lost him twice – once on January 9, 1993 and again on June 18, 2021 only this time he will only live in our hearts and minds.

The young guy who went out on a date in 1993 was not the same man we came to love even more if possible.
Reading some of the heartfelt comments people have left in his memory breaks my heart. What a lot of you remember is the Tony before his accident. If you thought highly of him then, you would have loved him even more as he fought thru his TBI. Tony always said his short-term memory loss was the worst thing that happened to him from the accident even more than the seizures. He would always tell people he could remember his grammar school teachers (and he would name then off) but he couldn’t remember what he did yesterday or the names of people he met recently.

Tony did return to work after his accident. He loved talking about the different names he dealt with when he worked at the Secretary of State Drivers’ License facility in Melrose Park and how difficult they were to pronounce. He spent most of his adult life working at IDOT in Business Services and then in the Construction office. It was so hard for him to learn new things and then retain them – but oh how he tried. Yes, he made mistakes at work but the world did not fall apart because of them.

Tony had to go on disability from IDOT in 2016 but always thought he would be able to go back to work. We knew that was impossible because of his seizures but we could not take that hope away from him. His IDOT family meant so very much to him. We will always be grateful to his co-workers who went out of their way to help him and befriend him.
Tony loved to bowl and had a bowling family too that meant so much to him. He was an artist – he loved to draw and was forever drawing cartoons.

I can’t tell you how many DVD players he went thru watching and re-watching his favorite movies.
He loved his cigars but we didn’t….
He loved his ‘Christmas Party Relatives’ as he called them and looked forward to our get togethers throughout the years. There were special people that have helped Tony thru these past 28 years and you are so appreciated – and of course his sister Gina who moved back to help take care of him – getting ready to transition for when there would just be the two of them.

As I sit here at my desk putting down these words I can’t help but think Tony should be walking out of his room right next to me and say good morning ma as he did every morning and my heart is aching.
If there was anyone ready to meet God, it was my Tony. He truly was an innocent human being. You will forever live in my broken heart.

Anthony C. Spizzinoco, age 48. Beloved son of Sandi nee Quercio and Pat; dear brother of Gina Spizzinoco King; fond uncle of Sami (Alex Fish) & Casi; fond nephew, cousin and friend of many. Visitation Thursday, June 24, 2021 from 3:00 until 9:00 p.m. at Cumberland Chapels, 8300 W. Lawrence Ave., Norridge, IL 60706. Funeral services begin Friday, June 25, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at the funeral home and will proceed to St. Celestine Church in Elmwood Park for Mass at 10:00 a.m. Interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations to the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, 17 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60602, www.epilepsychicago.org would be appreciated. For info 708-456-8300 or www.cumberlandchapels.com.