Anthony Tony Surla White

If anyone ever cared, really cared for someone else it would have to be Anthony Surla White. To his family and friends he was known as Tony. Tony was a warm hearted and well liked individual. These wonderful traits came easily to him because he was such a sociable and amiable person, someone who was always making certain that those around him had whatever they needed. Tony was a talkative person who was tactful at all times but typically said what he meant.

He was the son of Emilio and Eulalia White. Tony was raised in Manila, Philippines. During his childhood he learned to be reliable and respectful. Tony was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. He found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Tony's personality throughout his life.

Though Tony was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with his family, he was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. Tony was a peace-maker with an ability to resolve all sorts of family conflicts. In fact, Tony worked conscientiously to keep those typical family spats at bay. Tony was raised with ten siblings. He had 6 brothers; William, Norbert, Emilio Jr., Robert, Harry and James, and four sisters; Leticia, Alice, Patricia and Rose. Tony and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of his experiences, Tony was always enthusiastic about new adventures. Although he had an exacting nature, Tony was always tactful. One thing Tony will certainly be remembered for is that, when he got up in the mornings, he was ready and raring to go. As a young boy, Tony had a number of interests and was an active child. Tony took part in basketball. He was a Philippine Cub Scout. In his spare time he liked to dance.

For Tony, the school routines were never a problem although he generally preferred variety to structure. He seemed to be able to start a project and work right through to its completion. And he was able to do it quickly and efficiently. Tony was also adept at details. Tony was very observant and was generally quick at picking up new things. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Math.

College can be a challenge, but Tony appeared to be well equipped to succeed. He had a knack for staying focused and on track no matter what was going on around his. Tony had the ability to work undisturbed through all of the constant interruptions that are a regular part of college life. Tony enjoyed using the skills he'd already learned and applying them to new courses. He knew the facts and rarely made factual errors. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. His favorite course was Finance.

There was one thing that all of Tony's friends knew and will still remember, and that is that he was a talker. He could pretty much talk to anybody about anything. This quality is one of the primary reasons that Tony was such a popular person throughout his life. But Tony was also dependable, loyal and trustworthy. Tony was the kind of person who simply radiated good fellowship. While he maintained personal standards and his own personal values, Tony was very accepting of others. With a distinct skill for working things out, Tony was often the person who would organize events. In fact, Tony was fairly comfortable playing the role of “host” for just about any occasion. When Tony made friends, he made true and lasting friendships. While growing up, some of his best friends were Tony Sevilla and Rowald Zapata. Later in life, he became friends with Stan Mularz.

Tony was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call him sentimental and a romantic at heart. His kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around his. Tony cared for what others thought and carried that into his marriage. On April 3, 1965 Tony married Judith De Leon Paule at Wilmington Church of Wilmington, California. Compassionate and devoted, Tony worked hard to make his new life partner happy.

Harmony was important to Tony and he made every effort to maintain it with his family. Tony was blessed with four children, two daughters, Jennifer and Leslie, and two sons, Tony Jr. and Kevin. They were also blessed with fourteen grandchildren, Christine, Michael, William, Lindsey, Sarah, Rebecca, Stephen, Alyssa, John, Miranda, Lauren, Ethan, Isabella and Gabriella. To all his children and his grandchildren, Tony was always larger than life. He always looked forward to having family gatherings as family bonding is of utmost importance. Tony was always conscious of the feelings others had. He was reasonable and understanding. His secret of success in this area was simple: Tony would listen before he would act.

Taking his work seriously came naturally to Tony, and he expected the same from those around him. Tony was a good team player, someone who was born to cooperate with others. He was what some would call a “people person” and it was demonstrated in his good communication skills. Tony was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Tony handled well. He could understand the details without getting lost in the broad “big picture.” His primary occupation was Quality Control. He was employed for L'Oreal, USA, Chanel/Dior, USA and Revlon, USA. He brought harmony to his work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for his colleagues.

Blessed with a practical nature, Tony was a person who appreciated the routine of the military. He was a man who took his obligations seriously, working well with the others in his unit. Tony was a United States Navy Veteran. He was in the Battalion 133, Stationed Gulf Port, Mississippi, NAS, Alameda, CA. He was also stationed at Diego Garcia, Adak, Alaska and Andrews AFB, Washington D. C. Tony saw action during Vietnam.

A methodical man, Tony enjoyed spending time working on his various hobbies. He had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that he could have something to show for his efforts. His favorite pursuits were stamp collecting, coin collecting, dancing and playing with grandkids. He also displayed a passion for music and movies. Of his favorite genres of music included the big band era and the unforgettable 50s. He enjoyed spending time watching war and western movies.

Tony was one of those people who took pride in constantly putting forth his best effort. Nowhere was that more visible than in sports. Tony was always enthusiastic and a great team player. Tony also liked being a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were boxing and football.

A generous and compassionate man, Tony accomplished much during his lifetime. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Tony was recognized and given awards for his many and varied efforts throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Third Good Conduct Award for period ending October 21, 1975.

Not only did Tony enjoy traveling, but he also seemed to enjoy planning all of those trips and vacations. He was a facilitator who could easily make up a near perfect schedule of all of the things to do and see. He rarely tired of going back and revisiting his favorite places. Favorite vacations included Disney World, Disney Land and Sea World.

Since it was easy for Tony to meet and get to know new people, he quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once he met those new friends, he loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days. Since he was practical and cost effective, Tony was ready when that day to retire finally came in March 1, 1979. His new life involved relocating to Manila, Philippines then San Francisco, CA, Edison, NJ and finally Las Vegas, NV. In retirement, he found new pleasure in playing with his grandkids. Even in retirement, Tony stayed in touch with his old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities that retirement offered him.

Tony’s heath had been on the decline over the past few years. He passed away on February 13, 2016 at Southern Hills Hospital. He is survived by his wife; Judith, children; Jenny, Leslie, Tony Jr., Kevin and fourteen grandchildren. Services were held at Palm Southwest Mortuary a Dignity Memorial Provider. Tony was laid to rest at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada.