Anthony Stephen DeFazio

Tony was born on August 28, 1947 in Beverley, MA to Gloria and Perley "Steve" DeFazio. He was the oldest of three sons. After high school, he enlisted in the Air Force and was a medic. He was stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany and that is where he met Pat Archer. They married and had three children: Joel, Kristen and Taryn. After the Air Force, Tony returned to Massachusetts. Various jobs took Tony to many different places including Connecticut, Dallas, Austin, Houston and finally Cleveland.

Tony had a great sense of wonder and traveled much of the world. He enjoyed collecting art from his travels and took great pride in his home.

Tony is preceded in death by his mother and father. Tony is survived by his two brothers, James and Mark, his three children, their spouses and his six grandchildren. Joel married Kristi Gillis in 1993 and they have two sons Riley and Bryce DeFazio. Kristen married Jason Schmidt in 2004 and they have two sons, Ayden and Kylen Schmidt. Taryn married Clint Thomas in 2002 and they have a daughter and a son, Dillen and Xander Thomas.

Tony worked for Alex Sill, Co. for over 20 years and had just retired on August 5, 2011. He battled Leukemia and Lymphoma tenaciously for 5 years and lost his battle on August 27, 2011 just one day shy of his 64th birthday. The family remembered him on his birthday with a hike into the mountains and the release of balloons with notes attached for him to receive in Heaven.

Tony will always be remembered for his contagious laugh, sense of style and amazing work ethic.

In lieu of flowers that family requests that donations be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society in Tony's memory. www.lls.org.

Some history and information on Tony's final resting place. We think he would love it. Look to the west, look for the cross and wave hello to him! Mount Lindo Cremation Nature Garden and Mausoleum is open year round and is affiliated with Olinger Mortuaries. Unique in all of the world, this mountain top cemetery has two mausoleums, a chapel, garden crypts, traditional ground burial and a "one of a kind" cremation nature garden for cremated remains. As you look to the west of Denver in the foothills in the evening, you will see the Olinger Mount Lindo Cross illuminated. The cross on Mount Lindo began as a gesture of love between two people in the early 1940s. Francis VanDeber once owned the land at Mount Lindo. He decided he would put a light at the top of the mountain so his wife, Pearl, would be able to see where he would rest after he died. The Cross began construction in 1963, and was lit for the first time on Easter morning in 1964. It is the largest electrically lighted cross in this country, possibly in the world. The cross measures 393 feet vertically and 254 feet horizontally. It can be seen from a distance of 80 miles. Shortly after the land was sold to Olinger Mortuaries and thus began the Mount Lindo Cemetery.